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Lil Uzi has made countless hit records throughout his career. But one of the hits they made could have been ripped off from another artist. And if that proves to be true, it could cost the rap star millions.
Lil Uzi Slapped With Lawsuit Over ‘I Just Wanna Rock’
According to an exclusive report from AllHipHop, Uzi is being sued for their 2022 smash hit I Just Wanna Rock. In a lawsuit filed in Rochester federal court, a New York-based artist alleges that Uzi plagiarized his song.
The artist named Sharrief K. Bouchet, known professionally as Rawyal or Rief Rawyal, says that the rap star used his song Pain and Pleasure. And three years following its release, he is ready to be compensated. To the tune of $110 million.
Rief Rawyal has brought out the big guns for this lawsuit. As part of the lawsuit, the rap artist has employed a forensic musicologist to strengthen his case.
Musicologize founder Brian McBrearty conducted research based on the two songs. And as part of his findings, McBrearthy concluded that there is a “93-97% derivation between the two songs.”
McBeaty’s findings also concluded that both I Just Wanna Rock and Pain and Pleasure “reside in the core band of ‘allegro,’ between 130–150 beats per minute, and employ the same drum pattern and rhythmic syncopation, known as’ tresillo, a hallmark of reggaeton and dance beats.”
The lawsuit also says that Uzi had “direct access” to the song through Lanre Gaba, who has been the President of Hip-Hop, R&B, and Global Music at Uzi’s label, Atlantic Records, since 2012.
Rawyal says he provided Gaba with “original songs, including music files and demos, during that period.”
I Just Wanna Rock remains one of the most successful songs in Lil Uzi’s catalog. The hit achieved 4x Platinum status in the U.S. with over 5 million certified units sold as of August 2024. The hit record also earned 3x Platinum in Canada and charted in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 8.
