Rick Astley suing Yung Gravy over alleged vocal imitation

Rick Astley is taking legal action over an alleged imitation of his vocal style. (Getty)

Rick Astley is taking authorized motion over an alleged imitation of his vocal type. (Getty)

Rick Astley and his staff have filed a lawsuit towards rapper Yung Gravy because of the look of an alleged imitation of Astley in one in all his tracks.

In accordance with the 56-year-old’s authorized staff, by way of the BBC, the rapper had cleared the usage of the “underlying musical composition” of the track By no means Gonna Give You Up for his monitor Betty (Get Cash).

Learn extra: Rick Astley says meme fame is “like a double life”

However the lawsuit argues that Yung Gravy “conspired to incorporate a deliberate and practically indistinguishable imitation of Mr Astley’s voice all through the track”, for which he didn’t have permission.

Astley’s lawsuit additionally names Nick Seeley — aka Popnick — who’s alleged to have supplied the vocal imitation.

Betty (Get Cash) was launched in June 2022 and promptly grew to become Yung Gravy’s largest hit, charting on the Billboard Scorching 100 and being licensed Gold in three nations.

Within the authorized papers, reported by way of Billboard, Astley’s legal professionals wrote that “the general public couldn’t inform the distinction” between the star’s actual voice and the alleged impersonation.

Learn extra: Rick Astley reveals what drove him to success and to never give up

The swimsuit argues that Yung Gravy had been granted permission to make use of the method of “interpolation” to recreate music and lyrics from the unique track, however had not been allowed to “pattern” the track by utilizing the unique music and vocals.

His legal professionals wrote: “A license to make use of the unique underlying musical composition doesn’t authorize the stealing of the artist’s voice within the authentic recording.

“So, as an alternative, they resorted to theft of Mr. Astley’s voice with no license and with out settlement.”

Countless internet users have been directed to the music video for Rick Astley song Never Gonna Give You Up as part of the 'Rickrolling' trend. (YouTube/RCA/PWL)

Numerous web customers have been directed to the music video for Rick Astley track By no means Gonna Give You Up as a part of the ‘Rickrolling’ development. (YouTube/RCA/PWL)

In an interview with Billboard final summer season, Gravy mentioned the method of placing the monitor collectively after liking the pattern, however stated he “by no means figured it was clearable”.

He added: “My boy Nick, who does a variety of pattern replays and recreating authentic samples, we principally remade the entire track.

“Had a distinct singer and devices, however it was all actually shut as a result of it makes it simpler legally.”

Learn extra: BBC weatherman accidentally insults Rick Astley

By no means Gonna Give You Up was launched in 1987 and topped the charts in 25 nations all around the world, turning into Astley’s signature monitor.

It attained new reputation within the noughties when the video grew to become the centre of the “rickrolling” web meme, during which customers could be unwittingly directed to the track as an internet prank.

Watch: Rick Astley suing Yung Gravy over alleged vocal imitation

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