Lil Nas X is being accused of sampling a 1982 Bobby Caldwell song without permission.
Publishing company The Music Force LLC filed a lawsuit in U.S. federal court in Los Angeles on Wednesday alleging that the "Old Town Road" rapper and his producer Beats (aka Beats Jeffry Maxwell Newlin) used Caldwell’s “Carry On” for their song with the same title.
The suit accuses Lil Nas X, whose real name is Montero Hill, of “greed and malicious intent” and claims he has created “confusion in the marketplace.” It also names Sony Music as a defendant – even though Lil Nas X and Beats were not signed to the label at the time.
The official version of Lil Nas X’s “Carry On” is no longer on YouTube but The Music Force claims there are more than 85 pirated versions on the platform.
The plaintiff is seeking at least $10 million (all figures U.S.) in compensatory damages and at least $15 million in punitive damages.
Neither Lil Was X or Sony have commented publicly on the lawsuit.