Reggaeton Star Feid Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Song Infringement

CALIFORNIA (CelebrityAccess) – Colombian reggaeton star Feid, known for his infectious beats and chart-topping hits, is now facing a lawsuit over alleged music infringement. Sebastien Graux, a Grammy-nominated Belgian composer, claims that Feid’s 2022 hit “Ferxxo 100” and two other tracks, “X20X” and “De Tanto Chimbiar,” contain unauthorized samples of his guitar loops.

In a lawsuit filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of California on June 10, Graux accuses Feid and his production team of using his music without proper credit or compensation. The complaint names Feid, whose real name is Salomon Villada Hoyos, along with Universal Music Group (UMG), Colombian label Icon Music, and producers Sky Rompiendo and Jowan as defendants.

Graux’s complaint details a long process of assurances from Feid’s producers that ultimately fell through. Initially, during a trip to Colombia in September 2021, Graux met with the team at Icon Music, leading to interactions with Rompiendo and Jowan. They worked with Feid then and showed interest in using Graux’s guitar loops for their projects.

During a subsequent meeting in Miami, Graux provided Jowan with several audio files of his copyrighted works. Jowan later confirmed that three of these tracks were used in Feid’s songs for his upcoming album. Graux was thrilled to be credited and compensated for his contributions.

However, despite months of reassurances, Graux never received the promised credit or payment. The lawsuit claims that attempts to resolve the matter amicably were unsuccessful, forcing Graux to take legal action. The complaint states, “Graux attempted to resolve this dispute outside of litigation. However, those attempts were wholly unsuccessful, necessitating the present action.”

The three songs in question—”Ferxxo 100,” “X20X,” and “De Tanto Chimbiar”—have been significant hits. “Ferxxo 100,” released in June 2022, achieved Gold (Latin) certification in the US and 2x Platinum status in Spain. Its music video boasts over 245 million views on YouTube, and it has been streamed more than 444 million times on Spotify.

Graux’s career includes collaborations with high-profile artists like Ricky Martin, Farruko, and Rema. He describes himself as a four-time Grammy nominee with a reputation for creating unique guitar loops that have enriched numerous tracks in the music industry.

The lawsuit details that Graux was initially excited to be featured on Feid’s songs. He looked forward to receiving producer credit for his contributions to the songs’ melodies and overall composition. However, as time went on, it became clear that the producers’ promises were not being honored. Graux’s complaint mentions that when he tried to assert his rights, the relationship with Feid’s team soured.

In the legal filing, Graux recounts an offer made by Rompiendo’s company two months after the release of “Ferxxo 100,” which his management described as “one of the least favorable proposals they have ever received.” Negotiations failed, and the songs featuring Graux’s samples were released without a resolution to the credit and compensation issue.

Graux seeks compensatory or statutory damages, a producer credit on the three tracks, and compensation for his legal fees. The outcome of this lawsuit could have significant implications for how credit and compensation are handled in music collaborations.

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