Kanye West and Solange Knowles are both reportedly being sued for allegedly ripping off a song by Prince Phillip Mitchell.

Mitchell, aka Leroy Mitchell, has apparently claimed that both artists have sampled his 1970 track ‘If We Can’t Be Lovers’ without permission.


The songs alleged to have used the samples without authorisation are Kanye’s ‘Everything I Am’ from 2007’s ‘Graduation’ and Solange’s ‘F**k the Industry’.

Featuring scratches by DJ Premier, the song contains elements from ‘Bring The Noise’ by Public Enemy as well as ‘If We Can’t Be Lovers’, and according to its official BMI and Tidal credits is co-written by West with Mitchell, George Clinton, and PE’s Chuck D (Carlton Ridenhour), Eric Sadler and Hank Shocklee.

In turn, Solange’s ‘F**k The Industry’ is heavily based around a sample of Kanye’s ‘Everything I Am’, so features some of the same elements. After leaking in 2008, Solange’s track was originally reported to be appearing on a mixtape called ‘I Can’t Get Clearance’.

Read more: Kanye West new album release date: when will we hear ‘Turbo Grafx 16’?


However, it was released officially in 2010 as a digital download after Solange was dropped by Geffen. The track was later added as a bonus track on a 2015 deluxe edition reissue of Solange’s 2008 second album ‘Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams’.

In the lawsuit seen by TMZ, Mitchell is seeking punitive damages. He’s also said to be insisting that both artists stop performing the songs live and that radio play of both tracks cease.

Meanwhile, Kanye’s next studio album, the follow-up to 2016’s The Life of Pablo’ has the working title ‘Turbo Grafx 16’. Tracks ‘Euro (Switch Hands)’ and ‘Hold Tight’ leaked in summer 2017, with the former featuring A$AP Rocky, and the latter boasting Migos and Young Thug.