Lil Uzi Vert Faces $110M Copyright Lawsuit

It’s been a relatively quiet year for Lil Uzi Vert, but that changed dramatically this week with the revelation of two major lawsuits. The latest and most significant is a staggering $110 million copyright infringement claim filed by Rochester, New York-based artist Rief Rawyal, focusing on Uzi’s massive 2022 hit, ‘Just Wanna Rock.’

Allegations of Near-Identical Copying

Rief Rawyal, whose legal name is Sharrief K. Bouchet, alleges that Lil Uzi Vert (real name Symere Woods) copied virtually every element of his track, ‘Pain and Pleasure,’ which was released in August 2022, just two months before ‘Just Wanna Rock.’ The lawsuit claims Uzi copied the original hook, melody, theme, and even the distinctive chant “When I rock ah ah” from Rawyal’s song.

The similarities are reportedly so striking that forensic musicologist Brian McBrearty, founder of Musicologize, found a 93-97% derivation between the two tracks. McBrearty’s analysis points to identical tempo, structure, rhythmic patterns, the signature “ah” chants, and lyrical phrasing around the word ‘rock.’ Both songs also share a tempo within the ‘allegro’ range (130-150 bpm), the same drum pattern, and a rhythmic syncopation known as ‘tresillo.’

A Clear Pathway for Access?

Rawyal’s lawsuit further alleges that his own posts about ‘Pain and Pleasure’ were mysteriously muted or removed from platforms like Instagram and Facebook, while ‘Just Wanna Rock’ gained widespread popularity. He claims that Lil Uzi Vert, Atlantic Records, and other associated entities had direct access to his material. Specifically, Rawyal alleges he was collaborating with Atlantic Records and Lanre Gaba, the current president of Hip-Hop, R&B and Global Music at the label, providing Gaba with original songs and demos. This, Rawyal contends, created an “institutional pathway” for Uzi and their team to access and allegedly copy his work.

The defendants named in the lawsuit include Lil Uzi Vert, Atlantic Records, Generation Now, Roc Nation, and Warner Music Group. Rawyal is seeking $110 million in damages, citing lost streaming revenue, sync and licensing deals, and reputational harm. He also wants retroactive publishing credit, an ownership share, and an injunction to stop any further use of the song.

Legal Troubles Mount

This copyright battle comes at a hectic time for Lil Uzi Vert, who is also reportedly facing a separate sexual harassment lawsuit from a former assistant. While Roc Nation is also listed as a defendant, reports suggest they may have already been dropped from the copyright case. This situation highlights the complex legal landscape artists navigate in the music industry.