Drake and Chris Brown Face New Lawsuit Over “No Guidance”

Drake and Chris Brown’s tumultuous relationship over the years made their collaboration on “No Guidance” one of the most surprising musical events of the 2010s. Known for their high-profile feud, few expected the two to come together for what became one of 2019’s biggest hits. Peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100, “No Guidance” was a monumental success. The track added another hit to Drake’s dominant decade and revitalized Chris Brown’s career. However, the song has now drawn both artists into legal trouble, as singer Tykeiya Dore alleges they stole elements of her music for the track.

On October 25, Dore filed a lawsuit in New Jersey, claiming that Drake and Chris Brown’s “No Guidance” infringes on her 2016 song, “I Got It.” According to a report by AllHipHop, the lawsuit alleges that “No Guidance” copied “I Got It” in various fundamental ways, including the “chord progressions, tempo, pitch, key, melody, harmony, rhythm, structure, phrasing, and lyrics.” The lawsuit also implicates Anderson Hernandez, known professionally as Vinylz, a frequent Drake collaborator, who is suspected of having accessed “I Got It” through director Benji Filmz’s YouTube channel. Dore claims that Benji Filmz directed the music video for “I Got It” and alleges that Vinylz follows the channel, giving him possible access to the song.

In addition to Drake, Brown, and Vinylz, the lawsuit includes YouTube and Google as defendants. Dore’s lawyer, Marc Stephens, reportedly uploaded a comparison video between “I Got It” and “No Guidance” to YouTube to showcase the similarities. However, Dore claims that the video was taken down without justification, prompting her to add defamation, common law fraud, and emotional distress to her charges against YouTube and Google. She is seeking $5 million in damages.

This is not the first time Drake and Chris Brown have faced accusations of plagiarism. Previously, musicians Braindon Cooper and Timothy Valentine filed a lawsuit against the two artists, alleging that they copied elements from their 2016 single “I Love Your Dress” for “No Guidance.” Both Drake and Chris Brown denied the allegations, asserting that it would be implausible to vet every song worldwide. “It is implausible to assume that every musician in Toronto collaborates and shares music with Drake,” the two artists stated at the time.

As the latest case unfolds, Drake and Chris Brown will likely have to respond to Dore’s allegations in court.