OKP News: Beastie Boys Sued Over Trouble Funk Samples

In an ironically-timed turn of events that could not have been scripted more dramatically for a Hollywood screenplay, rap pioneersThe Beastie Boys have apparently been hit with a lawsuit over the use of samples in their music, mere days after the music world was shaken by the passing of founding member Adam Yauch AKA MCA--that tragic news itself coming on the heels of the Beasties' induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. According to AllHipHop.com the lawsuit, which covers four Beastie Boys tracks, two from Licensed To Ill and two from Paul's Boutique, came the day before Yauch's passing this past Friday May 4th.

The lawsuit, filed by hip-hop/R&B label Tuf America in United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, claims that the albums in question illegally sampled  the songs “Say What” and “Drop The Bomb,” both by the Washington, DC-based go-go group Trouble Funk. "Drop the Bomb" is allegedly sampled on three Beasties tracks: "Hold It, Now Hit it" (above) and "The New Style" from Licensed to Ill and "Shadrach" from Paul's Boutique. Additionally, drums from "Say What" are alleged by the suit to have been sampled on the song "Car Thief" (below) also from Paul's Boutique.

The Beasties' label Capitol Records is also named in the suit, filed with the aim of establishing  "a trial to determine the amount of punitive and exemplary damages, if any. . ." Select pages from the document can be seen on AHH and see youtubes of the Trouble Funk songs in question after the jump for comparison.

spotted at SC