In a legal twist that’s shaking the music world, Travis Scott, SZA, and Future are facing a copyright lawsuit over claims they lifted key elements of their 2023 hit “Telekinesis” from an earlier track by Victory Boyd, a singer signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Manhattan federal court, alleges the trio copied lyrics and other components from Boyd’s 2019 song “Like The Way It Sounds”, which she originally shared with Kanye West. The complaint states that West recorded the track as “Ultrasounds” and later passed it along to Scott, who allegedly shared it with SZA and Future. Boyd’s lawyers accuse the stars of using her work without her authorization, knowledge, or consent.
The Case for Boyd
According to the complaint, “Telekinesis,” which spent 11 weeks on the Hot 100, mirrors Boyd’s original track in both lyrics and style. Boyd’s lawyers argue that the defendants “intentionally and willfully copied” her work. They also point out that when “Telekinesis” was initially uploaded to streaming platforms, Boyd was credited as a co-writer in the metadata—seemingly an admission of her contributions.
More recently, Boyd says she was offered an 8 percent songwriting credit to settle the matter, but she remains firm that her song was taken without permission.
A Star-Studded Web of Accusations
The lawsuit also names Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet, which partnered with Scott’s Cactus Jack brand. Boyd alleges the company used “Telekinesis” in an advertising campaign despite her publisher expressly refusing a licensing request.
Fans have already connected the dots between “Telekinesis” and Boyd’s gospel song. On Genius, a crowd-sourced lyrics database, users noted that the track was “originally written by Victory Boyd” and “passed around many artists” before landing on Scott’s Utopia album.
Why It Matters
This lawsuit isn’t just about a single song—it highlights ongoing issues around artist collaboration, intellectual property, and the murky lines of credit in the music industry. For Boyd, it’s a fight for recognition and respect, while for Scott, SZA, and Future, the stakes are just as high, with their reputations and creative integrity on the line.
KMOB1003’s Take
At KMOB1003 Radio, we’ve seen plenty of copyright battles, but this one hits different. The connections between Boyd’s song and “Telekinesis” seem impossible to ignore, and it’ll be interesting to see how this plays out in court.
One thing’s for sure: music fans deserve the full story, and artists deserve their due credit. Stay locked in with KMOB1003 for all the updates on this case and how it could reshape the industry.
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