Monday, December 30, 2024

Pet Shop Boys Are Angry That Drake Didn’t Clear Sample of Famed 80s Mega Hit “West End Girls” in New Song

The Pet Shops are angry with Drake.

The famed synth pop dance duo say the rapper did not clear a sample of their mega hit “West End Girls” on his new song “All the Parties.”

The Pet Shop Boys write on Twitter: “Surprising to hear @Drake singing the chorus of “West End girls” in the track “All the Parties” on his new album. No credit given or permission requested.”

Drake, like almost all rappers, does not write songs. All of his tracks are sampled from old hits. His biggest hit, “Call Me On Your Cellphone” came from the 70s R&B smash “Why Can’t We Live Together” by Mel & Tim.

What he’s done here (see below at 2:35) is kind of like when Alicia Keys sang a couplet from “Hey There Lonely Girl” in her “Girl on Fire.”

I’m surprised the clearance lawyers at Universal Music didn’t catch this, unless Drake didn’t tell them. But it happens all the time. That’s why are there are almost no actual songs from the hip hop era of music. Time to pay up!

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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