Portishead member Geoff Barrow has accused Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign of sampling from a Portishead track without permission in their second “Vultures” instalment. The release in question dropped in August 2024 following delays and rescheduling. While Barrow and several fans took to social media to share their reactions to the album, Barrow added to the conversation by sharing a clip from ‘Field Trip,’ which features Don Toliver, Kodak Black, and Playboi Carti, as well reportedly sampling Portishead’s ‘Machine Gun.’
Barrow did not hide his displeasure with the situation and made his feelings known in the comments for the video he shared. He appeared to be referencing a past occurrence of having a track sampled without permission, further stating that he wants West to write his own beats. Barrow’s issue with The Weeknd a few years prior adds to his frustration where the Canadian artist released ‘Belong To The World,’ and Barrow accused the singer of using the track without permission.
Barrow’s response acts as the latest in a long trend of disputes between musicians and their sampling in the industry. Today’s technology makes it relatively easy to borrow snippets from popular tracks. However, the process of clearing sample is complex and can cause problems between artists. The artwork for the second “Vultures” also drew criticism for being borrowed from another artist, making fans and critics alike wonder about the legality of the album beyond the sampling.
In conclusion, it appears that the controversy surrounding Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s ‘Vultures 2’ is not exclusively limited to the album’s production delays. Instead, Barrow may feel that both artists did not do their due diligence by requesting clearance for the sample. The question of who is right or wrong, however, remains unresolved as of yet
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