US Rapper Sues Childish Gambino Over 'This Is America' Similarities

A US rapper is suing Childish Gambino for copyright infringement over his 2018 Grammy Award winning, This Is America. 

According to the BBC, Emelike Nwosuocha, who performs as Kidd Wes, has filed a lawsuit against the Childish Gambino (aka Donald Glover) over the track, claiming there is "substantial similarity" to his song Made In America which was uploaded to SoundCloud in September 2016. 

Court documents filed in New York say that the songs choruses are "glaringly similar" in their "lyrical theme, content and structure". 

Other points referenced include that the songs share the same metre and that they share a "distinct and unique vocal cadence, delivery, rhythm, timing [and] phrasing".

READ MORE

• [UPDATE] Glassnote Records Not Suing Childish Gambino, But Still Disputing Royalties

• The Votes Are In: Here's What We Think Are The Top Songs Of 2018

In addition to Glover, the documents also name Glover's label RCA, Roc Nation and artist Young Thug, who was also a co-writer on the track and performed backing vocals. 

In 2018, Glover's manager Fam Udeorji refuted claims from blogger Akademiks that This Is America shared similarities with US rapper Jase Harley's American Pharaoh saying that the track was originally started in 2015 and that "we have the Pro Tools [computer] files to prove it".

Glover is yet to respond publicly to the case with Nwosuocha.

Listen to both tracks below.