In a significant legal development, a federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit alleging that Mary J. Blige’s classic 1992 hit “Real Love” unlawfully sampled a track from 1973, ruling that the two songs “do not sound the same.” The lawsuit, filed by Tuff City Records against Universal Music Group (UMG), claimed that Blige’s song copied elements from “Impeach the President” by the Honey Drippers, a well-known funk track that has been heavily sampled in hip-hop history.
During the proceedings, UMG acknowledged that Blige’s track had borrowed material from “Impeach,” but Judge Dale Ho determined that the final versions of the songs were sufficiently different that an ordinary listener would not recognize the sample. He noted that “Impeach the President” is a protest song rooted in the soul/funk genre, while “Real Love” is a hip-hop soul ballad focusing on themes of heartbreak.
The judge detailed the contrasting musical styles, stating, “The songs do not sound the same” and highlighted that they lack similarities in melody or lyrics. UMG had reached a separate settlement with Tuff City regarding the use of the “Impeach” sample prior to the lawsuit, but the current case centered on whether the composition itself was similar enough to warrant copyright infringement.
“Real Love,” which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has amassed over 120 million streams on Spotify, remains one of Blige’s most iconic tracks, further solidifying her status in the music industry. Tuff City Records, known for its catalog of classic songs, has previously engaged in similar copyright litigation, indicating a history of pursuing claims related to unlicensed samples.
As the ruling stands, this case underscores the complexities of music copyright law, particularly the nuances between sampling and borrowing elements from musical compositions.
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