Barry White Estate is suing over ‘Like That’, but not Future & Metro Boomin

Barry White’s estate is suing over allegations that a prominent sample at the heart of Future and Metro Boomin’s chart-topper ‘Like That’ infringes the copyright on a 1973 song by the legendary singer – but they’re not accusing the stars of any wrongdoing .

In a complaint filed last week in Manhattan federal court, White’s estate alleged that a 1986 hip-hop song called “Everlasting Bass” by the duo Rodney-O (Rodney Oliver) and Joe Cooley stole key elements from White’s song “I” m from 1973′. I’m going to love you just a little bit more, baby.”

Lawyers for the White Estate say they waited nearly 40 years to sue over the song because it was “released before the Internet and not widely distributed,” meaning the estate was “unaware of the song when it was released to the public.” was first released’.

White’s heirs are certainly aware of “Everlasting” now, and it’s not hard to guess why: The song was heavily sampled in “Like That,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100 earlier this year — so prominently that Future and Metro Boomin named Rodney-O and Joe Cooley as co-writers.

Using an infringing example, the lawsuit alleges that “Like That” also infringes White’s copyright: “’Like That’ copies substantial elements of ‘I’m Gonna Love You Just A Little More, Babe’ … including but not limited to the iconic, instantly recognizable bassline,” the estate wrote in its Thursday (October 3) complaint.

But crucially, the White Estate does not accuse Future, Metro Boomin, or co-creator Kendrick Lamar of any legal wrongdoing. The lawsuit places blame solely on Rodney-O and Joe Cooley, saying they agreed to defend the stars against such accusations when they released the sample.

The duo did not immediately return a request for comment on the lawsuit’s allegations.

Released in March as the third single from the joint album Future and Metro We don’t trust you“Like That” spent three weeks at No. 1 and spent another 28 weeks on the chart. At the time of the debut, most of the emphasis was on the lyrics – as the song was one of the first salvos in the diss war between Kendrick and Drake.

But the underlying music included a sample of “Everlasting Bass,” a classic early hip-hop track that has also been sampled by Three 6 Mafia, Lil Wayne and E-40. In an April interview with MoodRodney-O said he loved what Future and Metro did with his song.

“It’s crazy because the song was big when it came out and now, all these years later, it’s even bigger,” he said. “I heard the song and I knew it was good, but when it comes out and the world hears it the way you hear it and responds to it the way you responded to it, that’s an affirmation.”

As for White’s song, “Gonna Love You” is one of the legendary singer’s top commercial hits, peaking at No. 3 on the Hot 100 in June 1973 and ultimately spending 18 weeks on the chart.