House legend Junior Vasquez has settled with Kanye West after a track he wrote in 1989 under his former pseudonym Ellis D. appeared on Teyana Taylor’s track “WTP” with little alteration except for a rap added to it. “WTP’ appears on Taylor’s K.T.S.E., produced by Kanye and recently named by Billboard as one of the Top 50 albums of the year. Vasquez’s original track “Work This Pussy” was one of the ’90s’ vogueing phenomenon’s first huge tracks.
Vasquez had agreed to a “minimal licensing fee” for what he thought was going to be a sample of the song. “They referred to it as a sample so I asked to hear the track they made and was surprised that it was essentially my original track with a rap laid on top.” As for getting his attorney involved in seeking proper credit and payment for his work, Vasquez added, “I wasn’t trying to bash anyone or piss anyone off. I was simply after a fair license agreement for the song.”
Listen to the two tracks:
Added Vasquez, who is now receiving royalties on “WTP” as well as writer and publishing credits: “I’m still intrigued by how Kanye West and Teyana Taylor discovered my 30 year old song. I would love to know where and how they found it…I’m pleased by the success of the new version. Teyana Taylor has introduced the track to a whole new genre that I would never have thought imaginable. Who knows? Maybe it will inspire other hip hop artists and producers to take a look at my collective body of work to see what other tracks might have crossover potential?”
