Ye Can’t Strike Holocaust & Antisemitism References From ‘Vultures 2’ Lawsuit, Judge Rules
A new court order says these details might be relevant to German artist Alice Merton’s legal case over an allegedly uncleared sample.
A German artist, Alice Merton, is suing Kanye West (Ye) for copyright infringement over a sample used in his 2024 track "Gun to My Head." Merton's lawsuit, filed in 2025, alleges that Ye sampled her earlier song "Blindside" without permission. The case, set to go to trial early next year, includes references to Ye's history of antisemitism and Merton's own family's ties to the Holocaust.
Merton's lawyers sought to strike these references from the lawsuit, claiming they were immaterial and scandalous. However, Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha denied the motion, ruling that these details could be relevant to the case. The judge stated that the allegations concerning Merton's background and Ye's alleged remarks are not unduly prejudicial and may have some bearing on the litigation.
The lawsuit, which claims that Ye included the sample in a digital deluxe version of Vultures 2 despite Merton's explicit denial of his clearance request, will now proceed through the remaining evidence discovery process. A jury trial is scheduled to begin in March, unless a settlement is reached first.
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