Universal Music Publishing Group faces allegations of copyright infringement over the unauthorized use of a sample in Mary J. Blige's 1992 hit "Real Love." Tuff City Records filed the lawsuit on April 4 in Manhattan federal court.

Photo Credit: Condé Nast / Vogue Taiwan / CC by 3.0

The lawsuit claims that "Real Love" uses an unlicensed sample from the Honey Drippers' 1973 funk song "Impeach the President." While UMG Recordings has reached an agreement regarding the master recording rights, Universal's publishing division has not secured rights for the song's underlying composition.

Key points about the lawsuit:

• Mary J. Blige is not named as a defendant
• Tuff City Records has repeatedly notified Universal about the uncleared sample
• Universal Music Publishing Group has allegedly refused to engage in negotiations
• The disputed drum break has been sampled by numerous artists, including 2Pac, Notorious B.I.G., and Doja Cat

Background on Tuff City Records:

• Known for filing multiple copyright lawsuits over unlicensed samples
• Previously sued artists like Jay-Z, Christina Aguilera, and Beastie Boys
• Filed a similar lawsuit in 1991 against Sony Music and Def Jam over "Impeach the President" sample use in LL Cool J songs
• That case was one of the first major legal challenges to unauthorized sampling in hip-hop

This case highlights the ongoing complexity of sample clearance in the music industry and the importance of securing proper licensing for both master recordings and underlying compositions.

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