Roddy Richh has been sued for copyright infringement by a California songwriter over the rapper’s hit 2019 single ‘The Box’.
Richh is a defendant in a lawsuit filed by Greg Perry who alleges that ‘The Box’ is “a complete duplication” of his 1975 song ‘Come On Down’. Also named in the suit are Richh’s label Atlantic Records and producer 30 Roc.
According to the lawsuit, which has been obtained by Rolling Stone, “expert musicology analysis confirms that the ascending minor scale played by violin at the opening of ‘Come On Down’ is a distinctive musical element which recurs a total of six times throughout the song”.
The lawsuit reads: “Comparative analysis of the beat, lyrics, hook, rhythmic structure, metrical placement, and narrative context by a musicology expert demonstrates clearly and convincingly that ‘The Box’ is an unauthorised duplication and infringement of certain elements of ‘Come On Down’.”
Perry adds that a number of lawsuits regarding ‘Come On Down’ have already been filed, with 60 per cent of the songwriting credit for Young Jeezy’s 2008 song ‘Wordplay’ granted to him by Island Def Jam, while the song has also been licensed by Yo Gotti for the track ‘I Remember’.
The suit added: “The use of the distinctive compositional elements of ‘Come On Down’ have remained so popular in both the R&B and rap community that access to the composition is firmly established.”
NME have reached out to representatives for Roddy Richh and Atlantic Records for comment.
The Compton rapper released his long-awaited second album ‘Live Life Fast’ last December, making his Saturday Night Live debut at the start of 2022.