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After a California federal jury found Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams guilty of infringing on Marvin Gaye’s song “Got to Give It Up” with their hit “Blurred Lines,” songwriters and producers are worried about blurring the lines between “influence” and infringement. Veteran hitmaker Jermaine Dupri feels he’s in the same position with one of today’s hottest R&B songbirds.
While discussing the recent “Blurred Lines” case with the Associated Press, Dupri revealed that he thinks Ciara’s new single, “I Bet,” is a rip off of Usher’s “U Got It Bad,” which he co-produced.
“I’m clear on what I made and I’m clear on how music influences people and I’m clear on chord changes and how people move things,” he explains. “It might not be as evident as the ‘Blurred Lines’ situation, but I believe the same thing happened to me.”
Dupri added that “I Bet” also sounds like R&B singer Tamia’s “Still,” another song he produced.
Dupri’s gripe is similar to a situation involving Sam Smith, in which veteran rocker Tom Petty said the piano melody in “Stay With Me” sounds similar to his 1989 tune, “I Won’t Back Down.” Both parties reached an royalties agreement and settled the case out of court.
Dupri, who has produced hit songs for Mariah Carey and Bow Wow, said he plans to reach out to Ciara’s team and ask that he, Usher, and producer Bryan-Michael Cox be properly credited on the song. Harmony “H-Money” Samuels is listed as a co-writer and producer of Ciara’s “I Bet.”
Attorneys for Ciara had no comment on the matter. Hopefully, they can settle this amicably and not take it to court.
What do you think? Does Ciara’s “I Bet” sound similar to Usher’s “U Got It Bad”? Listen to the songs below.
Watch Ciara’s “I Bet” Video
Watch Usher’s “U Got It Bad” Video
