Kanye West is facing allegations of failing to pay for music used in his album Donda 2, which was released on February 22, 2022. Hours after its launch, claims surfaced that he used beats without permission.
Producer Free Maiden, a former collaborator, accused West of owing money to him and another producer, Boogz, in an interview with AllHipHop on May 2, 2025. Maiden criticised West’s public response, stating, “You chose to run, duck, hide, and continuously steal our ****!” and called his actions “slum landlordish,” alleging a pattern of theft despite protecting West from lawsuits in the past.
Ye reveals Donda 2 will be taken down because the managers of the producers Ye taught how to make beats are trying to extort him for 3 million dollars pic.twitter.com/M7Sd9WomzM
— Akademiks TV (@AkademiksTV) April 30, 2025In a now-deleted social media post, West claimed Maiden attempted to extort $3 million for the beats, accusing him of demanding payment for work from producers West mentored. Maiden, who reportedly played a key role in West’s early career and facilitated his meeting with JAY-Z, urged West to resolve the issue privately.
Ye reveals that 'DONDA 2' will be taken down because the managers of producers—who he says he taught how to make beats—are now trying to charge him $3 million for their work. pic.twitter.com/lmMHc5blep
— No Jumper (@nojumper) April 30, 2025The dispute adds to West’s history of legal challenges, with at least 14 lawsuits since 2020 alleging unauthorised use of samples. Both sides’ claims remain unverified, and no legal action has been confirmed in this case.
