Nicki Minaj has agreed to pay Tracy Chapman $450,000 to settle a copyright infringement lawsuit over unauthorized sampling of Chapman's 1988 song "Baby Can I Hold You" in Minaj's unreleased track "Sorry."

The dispute began in 2018 when Chapman sued Minaj after "Sorry" leaked and played once on Funkmaster Flex's Hot 97 radio show, despite Chapman repeatedly denying permission to use her song. Although Minaj had removed the track from her album "Queen," unauthorized recordings spread online after the radio broadcast.

In September 2020, a judge initially suggested "Sorry" could qualify as fair use since Minaj was experimenting with the sample and had attempted to obtain proper licensing. However, before proceeding to trial, both parties reached the $450,000 settlement agreement.

Chapman released a statement saying: "I was asked in this situation numerous times for permission to use my song; in each instance, politely and in a timely manner, I unequivocally said no. Apparently, Ms. Minaj chose not to hear and used my composition despite my clear and express intentions."

This settlement resolves one of multiple legal challenges Minaj faces regarding "Queen." She is also defending against a separate $240 million lawsuit from rapper Brinx Billions over alleged theft of the track "Rich Sex" and unpaid royalties for "I Endorse These Strippers."

The case highlights ongoing tensions in the music industry regarding sampling rights and fair use, following other recent cases like Drake's successful defense of unauthorized sampling in "Pound Cake/Paris Morton Music 2," which courts ruled as fair use.

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