On December 12, Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign debuted songs from the upcoming album Vultures, where they played a song which used an interpolation of “Everybody” by the Backstreet Boys without the band or label’s permission. This poses the question: can the Backstreet Boys actually prevent Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign from releasing the song?
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The track, also called “Everybody,” features a chorus recreated by Charlie Wilson. The feature is technically an interpolation, which in music is the rerecording of a melody from an existing song usually with different lyrics. This process is a little more lenient with publishing rights, as it’s not a direct sample of a song. Using a sample would require permission from the record label and publisher, so using an interpolation is one way to get around those requirements, as it only needs the publisher’s permission.
Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign Could Face Backlash for Backstreet Boys Interpolation
The Backstreet Boys did not write the song, so they have no control over how it’s used. But, so far original writers Max Martin and the late Denniz Pop’s estate have not shut down the usage of the song, as the fact that it wasn’t officially released or earning money yet bypassed a possible copyright violation according to a report from Variety.
So, essentially, the Backstreet Boys have no say over the release of the song, and the original writers have not yet made moves to block it, so West and Ty Dolla $ign are free to drop the album when they see fit. However, there’s no telling what will happen once the album is on the market and making money, as there is the potential for future backlash from the publisher if the artists did not get permission for the interpolation.
The listening party took place at Miami’s Wynwood Marketplace with a host of guests who featured on the album, like Chris Brown, Lil Durk, Kodak Black, Bump J, and Freddie Gibbs. West’s daughter North even made her rap debut at the party, who was featured alongside West and Ty Dolla $ign over a James Blake sample on the song “Slide.”
