Drake & Chris Brown Say “No Guidance” Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Is ‘Baseless’

Drake & Chris Brown Say ‘No Guidance’ Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Is ‘Baseless’

There is no denying Chris Brown and Drake’s hit single “No Guidance,” was one of the hottest songs when it dropped back in 2019. It was such a big hit, the music stars were later sued for copyright infringement. The lawsuit was filed by Brandon Cooper and Timothy Valentine, who respectively go by the stage names Mr. Cooper and Drum’n Skillz. The plaintiffs claim that Chris Brown and Drake copied a song they had released in 2016, titled “I Love Your Dress.”

Reportedly, Cooper and Valentine alleged Chris Brown and Drake stole was the hook “you got it”, which is repeated throughout the song. Attorneys for the music stars filed to have the case thrown out on Tuesday (Jan. 11) calling the lawsuit’s allegations “baseless.” James G. Sammataro, who is representing both Drake and Brown, believes the phrase “you got it” is too common in the English language and cannot be covered under copyright law. Sammataro wrote,

“Plaintiffs’ suit is premised upon the alleged similarity [to a] wholly generic lyrical phrase. No one, including plaintiffs, can own or monopolize the non-copyrightable phrase ‘you got it,’ and it should come as no surprise that this phrase appears in countless other works.”

Cooper and Valentine’s complaint also listed a number of alleged similarities between the two songs. They claimed Drake and Brown’s track “was copied” or “derived” from “the beat, lyrics, hook, rhythmic structure, metrical placement, and narrative context” of “I Love Your Dress.”

Attorney Sammataro rejected that notion citing,

“The Court can hear for itself that the total concept and feel of the songs is vastly different. Plaintiffs’ song is a slow, R&B love ballad about the writer’s wife featuring one vocalist and relatively few lyrics. In sharp contrast, ‘No Guidance’ is a faster, longer, and sexually explicit rap and R&B song about a new romantic interest.”

Drake, Chris Brown

Brandon Cooper and Timothy Valentine would need to be able to prove that the superstar duo actually heard the “I Love Your Dress” record in order for their claims to hold up in court. Cooper and Valentine’s legal team is reportedly expected to file a response in the coming weeks.

What are your thoughts on the lawsuit? Let us know in the comments below!

[Source: 1, 2]