A Jamaican artist has filed a US$300 million lawsuit against pop star Miley Cyrus over her 2013 hit “We Can’t Stop,” saying a key lyric was snatched from him.
On the track about exploring sexual and other personal freedom, Cyrus sings, “And we can’t stop / We run things, things don’t run we / Don’t take nothing from nobody.”
Flourgon, a Jamaican dancehall artist who enjoyed hits in the 1980s and 1990s, said the turn of phrase was taken from his 1988 song “We Run Things,” whose lyrics include, “We run things / Things no run we.”
Flourgon, whose real name is Michael May, is seeking US$300 million from Cyrus, her label Sony Music and her team of songwriters and musicians — a highly ambitious sum that is more than the pop star’s estimated net worth.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in a federal court in New York, said the lyrics belonged “distinctly” to Flourgon with “roots in Jamaican Patois with its own unique phraseology and linguistic combinations that, when translated into English, is not grammatically correct.”
Flourgon said Cyrus built her career off the single, noting that it came out around the time that the former star of the Disney series “Hannah Montana” was adopting an edgier, more sexualised public persona.
Cyrus “dramatically changed her style of dress and personal vocalisations to reflect the grittiness, aggression and sultriness associated with US-based hip-hop, R&B, urban and Caribbean music,” the lawsuit said.
The 25-year-old singer did not immediately respond to the lawsuit, which also seeks to prevent her from further performances of “We Can’t Stop.”
The pop starlet has faced accusations in the past of appropriating black culture, especially when she twerked her behind against singer Robin Thicke at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2013.
“We Can’t Stop” coincidentally only reached number two on the US singles chart because it was held back by Thicke’s “Blurred Lines,” which was targeted in a landmark lawsuit.
Thicke and co-writer Pharrell Williams were ordered to pay more than US$7 million to the estate of Marvin Gaye after a jury found similarities to his song “Got to Give It Up.”
But a judge recently rejected a lawsuit revolving around lyrics against Taylor Swift, saying that the words in her song “Shake It Off” were too banal for copyright infringement.
Dwl da man ya serious? Lmao
He couldn’t asked for 3 million always a over do it watch how him na get a dime. Miley Cyrus never need the phrase to busss the likkle gal been bussss HOWEVER she should have asked to use the phrase or paid him and I’m sure it would be no more than about 50k the most .. but of course this man is an overachiever and really wanna ask for more than the woman is worth? TRY AGAIN not happening !! Like u want to take all of her money why???? This entitled motherfcker smh him a gwan like a him build d girl career .. goodly bruck n hungry should’ve asked for 100k u woulda get that with ease
Aaahhhmm, I know the song, but Miley’s career was built before that song. Any way, is a Jamaican trying a thing so I’ll gwan watch.
A bit much flourgon but desperate man clutch at straw so what can I say
:thumbup ..if Flourgon know what good fi him, better him go siddung his baxide before dem flour n guiness him from head to toe!! I wouldn’t fight a Yardie who a try a legal hustle but this is destined to embarrass us n open a can of worms if foreigners start sue us.
Roughly 88% of our musicians would have to pay up…unno have money fi give Sanchez, Elephant man , Ghost n the likes of them??Only Beresford n Sizzla MI woulda swear for don’t sample farrin tings.
Him asking so high in the hopes of a settlement and a lower pay out. These things usually settle out of court for the most part.
Flour dats a lotta reaching enuh mind yuh hand dem slip outa socket loll
Her career was not built off the song dwl. And I doubt she deliberately took the line from his song people have been saying that for years. He’s going to have to prove that she actually took it from his song and him nah get so much money if him win
When yu bruck and nutten nah gwaan fe yu, what else yu expec? Flourgon, yu still dey bout?