German Singer Files Copyright Lawsuit Against Kanye West Amid Antisemitic Rants

Kanye West is facing a copyright lawsuit for allegedly using an "unauthorized sample" of a song on his track, "Gun to My Head."

German singer Alice Merton sued West, claiming the rapper asked to use her sample, but she refused.

The lawsuit against West comes amid his recent antisemitic tirades on X, though he is reportedly now in Tokyo after causing more uproar.

West is in more trouble after Merton sued him for alleged copyright infringement.

According to TMZ, the German musician filed the lawsuit in a U.S. federal court on Tuesday.

She claimed he used an "unauthorized sample" of her song, "Blindside," on his track "Gun to My Head" featuring Ty Dolla $ign and Kid Cudi from his "Vultures" album.

Merton said she wrote and recorded "Blindside" in 2022 but found out West sampled it after listening to "Gun to My Head" in December 2023.

Merton claimed that Kanye West requested to sample "Blindside" in February 2024.

She said he made the request through BMG Rights Management, but she rejected it. However, BMG reached out to her via email, asking why she denied West's request.

Merton responded, "The artist's values are contrary to our values." She also said she was most worried about West's "anti-sematic [sic], racist remarks which were made publicly and continue to be made publicly."

The singer said she resides in Germany and has close ties to the Holocaust through "Jewish family members who survived its horrors."

In addition to her concerns about West's values, Merton also claimed that she had received multiple threats from his fans for refusing his request to use her song.

West's antisemitic rhetoric has been a recurring issue over the years, with his remarks often sparking widespread backlash.

His controversial statements first gained significant attention in October 2022 when he wrote on social media that he was going "death con 3 on Jewish people." The comment, seen as a direct threat, led to major brands like Adidas severing ties with him, effectively ending their profitable Yeezy partnership.

Despite the backlash, West doubled down on his views. During an interview with far-right commentator Alex Jones, he openly expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler, stating, "There's a lot of things that I love about Hitler."

This was followed by a post on X featuring a swastika intertwined with a Star of David, which led to his account suspension for eight months. In response, then-U.S. President Joe Biden released a statement condemning antisemitism, though he did not name West directly.

In 2023, West appeared to offer an apology, writing in Hebrew that he "sincerely" regretted his past comments. However, this remorse was short-lived. In early 2025, he reignited controversy by selling T-shirts with a swastika design through his Yeezy fashion brand. The product was labeled "HH-01," which many assumed to reference "Heil Hitler." The move prompted Shopify to shut down the rapper's store for violating its policies.

Most recently, West took to X again to affirm his stance, writing, "I'm never apologizing for my Jewish comments."

The consequences of Kanye West's antisemitic remarks have been swift and severe.

His talent agency, 33 & West, severed ties with him, with representative Daniel McCartney stating they could not support his hateful rhetoric.

Additionally, West now faces legal action from a former Jewish employee who accused him of religious and gender discrimination.

She alleged that he referred to himself as Hitler in text messages and ultimately fired her after sending a message that read "Hail Hitler."

While West has remained silent on the lawsuit and his agency's actions, the backlash continues. His social media activity remains controversial, with his X account recently flagged as NSFW.

After recently causing more mayhem on X with his controversial posts, including attacking Jay-Z and Beyoncé's twins, Sir and Rumi, West is reported to have fled to Tokyo.

Sources told TMZ that the "Stronger" rapper flew to the Japanese capital late last week to decompress.

Reports also revealed that West noticeably calmed down after landing in Tokyo.

Los Angeles often overwhelms West, while Tokyo serves as his retreat, offering peace away from chaos.

However, it's unclear if his wife, Bianca Censori, joined him. She had been staying at Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood but was no longer listed as a guest by Monday morning.