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A man named Joel Mac claims Jay Z, Kanye West and Frank Ocean stole a song from him and used it on their album Watch The Throne. According to a new federal lawsuit, Mac says that a few years ago he was selling his CDs outside the Mercer Hotel in New York, where the trio had gathered to record the album.
Mac alleges that one of the project’s producers, Mike Dean, bought one of Mac’s CDs in front of the building. He claims that “Made In America,” one of the tracks on Watch The Throne, is a ripoff of his own song by the same title. Mac originally filed a lawsuit against the stars in New York State, and has now taken his case to federal court. He wants part of the profits generated by Watch The Throne.
Neither Jay Z nor West has publicly commented yet on the litigation. Their song, which features Ocean, touches upon themes including the civil rights movement and the pursuit of the American Dream. Jay Z and West frequently performed the track on their 2011 Watch The Throne Tour.
Hear the Mac “Made in America” and the Watch the Throne version of “Made in America” below, and tell us whether you think the plaintiff has a case.
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