Ye Denied Four-Month Delay of Next Week’s Copyright Trial

The rapper Ye failed to convince a federal judge to push a May 4 copyright trial back four months because of his “tentative concert,” or his counsel’s office move, high school reunion, and commitments in other cases.

Ye describing a “tentative” concert as involving “tens of thousands of people” is “perplexing,” and insufficient to pause the trial over whether a pre-album version of a song in his album “Donda” infringed music by DJ Khalil, the US District Court for the Central District of California said Monday. The court also said “hypothetical” concerns about the law firm’s office move causing servers to fail “suggests a technical fragility uncharacteristic” of a firm representing a rap superstar.

The order from District Judge Michelle Williams Court cements May 4 as the start of a trial over whether the pre-album version of the song “Hurricane” directly copied music composed in 2018 by Khalil Abdul-Rahman—DJ Khalil’s legal name—Sam Barsh, Dan Seeff, and Josh Mease. Court dismissed claims over the album versions of “Hurricane” and “Moon” on summary judgment in February.

Martorell Law APC, which represents Kanye West—Ye’s legal and former rap name—argued various circumstances justified pushing the trial back to between Aug. 31 and Oct. 4. But the firm should have already been prepared for trial given that the April 20 trial was moved to May 4 just four days before it was scheduled to start, Court said.

The firm’s other cases “have no bearing” on this case, and even if they did, the request indicates a lack of diligence in managing obligations and deadlines, she said. The judge added that “if defendants’ counsel had confidence that it could participate” in its other cases despite the move, it “can participate in this one.” She also said “the court cannot contort its schedule to every attorney’s travel plans.”

Courts’ February order also excoriated the firm and threatened sanctions for repeatedly failing to adhere to court rules requiring pre-motion “meet and confer” meetings with opposing counsel. Her Monday ruling also suggested the latest bid for a delay didn’t comply with court rules, but assumed it before explaining why it didn’t matter.

She also said Ye’s claim that the “tentative” concert would “create a large amount of revenue for defendants” didn’t justify delaying trying the case.

Ye requested and was denied permission to use the works but used them anyway and credited the songwriters, Khalil and the other plaintiffs said in their July 2024 complaint. After Ye refused to pay them, they assigned their rights to Artist Revenue Advocates LLC and it sued Ye and UMG Recording Inc.

ARA didn’t legally acquire composition rights—the right that goes to songwriters—because the company that owned it didn’t assign the right to sue in writing, Court previously ruled.

It did acquire the sound recording copyright—the right conferred on performers. The album versions of “Moon” and “Hurricane” didn’t directly copy from plaintiffs’ recording, she also held. But ARA alleged Ye and UMG profited from the pre-album version of “Hurricane” that did.

Russ August & Kabat represents ARA. Annigian Ryan LLP also represents Ye.

The case is Artist Revenue Advocates LLC v. West, C.D. Cal., No. 2:24-cv-06018, 4/27/26