Musical artists Joshua Fraustro and Miguel Aguilar have named Cardi B in a $50 million copyright lawsuit, claiming that the superstar sampled their 2021 track Greasy Frybread for her 2024 song Enough (Miami) without getting their permission beforehand.
Fraustro and Aguilar (known as Kemika 1956) named Cardi B, 31, in legal docs reviewed by TMZ Hip Hop, along with her collaborators on the track.
Also named in the suit are including producers OG Parker and DJ SwanQo and the companies Atlantic Records and Warner Music Group.
According to the Texas-based outlet ValleyCentral, Fraustro and Aguilar said in court docs that ‘Cardi B, along with other Defendants, has used the song in her new album without permission’ in addition to distributing it and performing it.
Attorneys for Fraustro and Aguilar said that use of the material amounted to ‘substantial damages’ for the tandem in terms of economic impact, their reputation as artists, and commercial viability.
The pair was asking for $50 million in the suit, ValleyCentral reported.
Fraustro and Aguilar said in legal docs that Greasy Frybread had been released in November of 2021 and had been used as a promotional track for show Reservation Dogs, according to TMZ.
The critically-acclaimed crime comedy ran on FX from August of 2021 thru September of 2023.
Cardi B had commercial success with the single, which she debuted this past March 15, marking her first release as a solo artist since the release of her single Up in February of 2021.
The track debuted in the Billboard Hot 100’s ninth spot in March, marking her 12th single to make the top 10 on the chart.
The single had racked up 14.5 million streams, 8.8 million in radio listeners and 37,000 in unit sales within its initial three weeks of release, according to Billboard.
The singer sported a number of flashy looks in the accompanying music video directed by Patience Harding, which has amassed more than 30 million views on YouTube in less than four months.
According to TMZ, it was not immediately clear if the litigation would impact the list of songs or release date for Cardi B’s next album release, titled CB2.
Cardi B on Monday took to Instagram Stories with a clip of a track that sampled the 1986 Janet Jackson song Funny How Time Flies (When You’re Having Fun), according to Billboard.
The singer last week took the stage in Los Angeles at Crypto.com arena for the BET Experience, performing tracks such as No Limit, Press and Money.