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Cypress Hill Sued for Stealing "Black" Music

Posted Oct 17th 2008 1:45AM by TMZ Staff

Cypress Hill's album "Black Sunday" came out in 1993 -- but they've had to wait 15 years now to get their pants sued off over what one man considers stolen beats.

Syl Johnson is suing Cypress (among a host of record and publishing companies) for a whopping $29 million, because he claims the beats from his 1969 song "Is It Because I'm Black" were used on Hill's tune "Lock Down" -- which was also called "Interlude."

Take a listen to the two songs and decide for yourself -- you'd be insane in the membrane not to hear the similarities.

Tags: Black Sunday, BlackSunday, cypress hill, CypressHill, lawsuit, Syl Johnson, SylJohnson

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(Page 2 of 2) Previous 15 Comments

16. Syl been doing this for years, suing rappers! His daughter is Syleena Johnson, an r&b singer with a beautiful voice! There's no doubt its the same song with a siren added to it.

Posted at 3:08PM on Oct 17th 2008 by jojochicago

17. the song is from cypress hills black sunday album, as the article says, not temple of boom! and the same sample was used on wu tang clans the w album on the track hollow bones!!! of course he wont sue rza for using the same loop, more recently at that....... i love syl johnsons music but hes a little beeotch when it comes to sampling.....greedy f*ckin old washup...... just needs to pay the rent i guess..... im sure he wont sue kanyes lame a$$ either, since he gave his daughter work.....the falling economy must be affecting everyone...and 29 million for an interlude track that doesnt even have vocals? this guy done flipped his wig!!!

Posted at 5:51PM on Oct 17th 2008 by fernyelbowz

18. Sampling is one thing but straight out ripping off is another. If you use someone else's beats to such an extent, ala Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby" and Queen's "Under Pressure", you have to give credit where credit is due and include the guy whose beats you "sampled" a place in the liner notes and a piece of the pie. Just sayin!

Posted at 7:25AM on Oct 24th 2008 by Katherine

19. It would've probably only cost ten grand or so if they'd sampled it legit...
The extra $28,990,000.00 is the cost of not asking permission...

Posted at 9:56PM on Oct 17th 2008 by chrisofkitchener

20. IT'S NOTHING NEW. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN STEALING "BLACK" MUSIC FROM THE BEGINNING OF TIME. SUE THEM ALL.

Posted at 10:17AM on Oct 18th 2008 by BIGMIKE

21. 1. Cypress didnt make 29 million off this album interlude
2. Cyrpess didnt make 29 million off the entire album
3. seriously wtf, how are you gonna sue these dudes for 29 mil for looping up your guitar riff for a fu*king interlude

syl johnson, kill yourself.

Posted at 9:41AM on Oct 20th 2008 by steve

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