Travis Scott Copyright Lawsuit Over 'Alright' Sample Dropped After Nearly Three Years

A copyright lawsuit accusing Travis Scott of illegally sampling a repeated "alright" vocal hook on songs from his hit albums Astroworld and Utopia has been dropped after nearly three years, ending the dispute without a court ruling on whether the phrase qualifies for copyright protection.

Songwriters Dion Norman and Derrick Ordogne voluntarily dismissed their claims against Scott and Sony Music on October 9, 2026, according to a federal court filing. The dismissal ends their current legal action over "Stargazing" and "Til Further Notice," although the filing does not disclose whether the parties reached a settlement.

The dispute centered on the songwriters' 1992 track "Bitches Reply," recorded by DJ Jimi, and a series of drawn-out repetitions of the word "alright." Norman and Ordogne alleged that Scott incorporated the vocal passage without permission into "Stargazing," released on his 2018 album Astroworld, and "Til Further Notice," from his 2023 album Utopia.

Both songs reached the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Norman and Ordogne filed their lawsuit in early 2024, claiming the recordings contained unauthorized samples of their earlier work.

The songwriters pointed to other major artists who had previously credited them for using the same portion of "Bitches Reply." Kid Cudi acknowledged their contributions on his 2013 song "Girls," Cardi B credited them on 2018's "Bickenhead," and Diddy did so on his 2023 track "Need Somebody."

Norman and Ordogne argued that those acknowledgments demonstrated the passage was recognizable and had previously been treated as material requiring permission. Their lawsuit sought to hold Scott and Sony liable for allegedly using the recording without securing comparable authorization.

Scott and Sony disputed the claims, arguing that the repeated use of an everyday word lacked the originality required for copyright protection. Their attorneys described the string of "alrights" as "trite" and "cliched," maintaining that the passage was too commonplace to qualify as protected expression.

Under U.S. copyright law, individual words and short, familiar phrases generally cannot be copyrighted. Original musical compositions and sound recordings, however, may receive separate protection, making the distinction between an ordinary verbal expression and a protected recorded passage important to sampling disputes.

The defendants' argument focused on whether the repeated vocal phrase contained enough original expression to support a copyright claim. The songwriters maintained that Scott had copied a distinctive portion of their recording, pointing to its previous use and acknowledgment by other performers.

The litigation also narrowed before the final dismissal. An earlier version of the complaint named producers Metro Boomin and James Blake, who contributed to "Til Further Notice," as defendants. Both were removed from the lawsuit earlier in 2026, leaving Scott and Sony to contest the remaining claims.

The October 9 filing ends the current action without resolving the competing copyright arguments. The court did not determine whether Scott used the disputed recording without authorization or whether the passage qualified for protection under federal law.

With the lawsuit withdrawn, Scott and Sony no longer face the claims in this action, while the legal question surrounding the disputed "alright" sample remains unanswered.