Spike Lee & Prince's Estate Face Lawsuit Over Accusations Of Stolen "Girl 6" Track

BY Erika Marie 6.2K Views
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Spike Lee
A man claims that his group's music was used without his consent in the 1996 film.

Some may have been perplexed to see Spike Lee on Oscar night donning a purple suit in honor of the late, iconic musician Prince, but those who follow the cinematographer's career know that the two were longtime friends. In fact, back in 1996, Lee and Prince collaborated for the director's film Girl 6, starring Theresa Randle. Prince wrote and performed the title track for the movie's soundtrack, but a man named James Brandon is claiming that the original "Girl 6" beat belongs to him.

In lawsuit paperwork obtained by TMZ, Brandon says that at the time, he was in a group called GOMAB. Brandon claims that in 1993 GOMAB had a meeting with Lee's uncle, Clarence Lee, who said that he would help the group get their music to the director—specifically, they gave him a track called "Phone Sex." Coincidentally, Girl 6 is a romantic thriller about a young woman who turns to working as a phone sex operator to pay the bills.

Brandon states in the lawsuit that the similarities between "Girl 6" and "Phone Sex" are obvious, especially on the hook. He is taking both Lee and Prince's estate to court, demanding that all profits that were made from the song should be given to him. Lee has yet to publicly respond to the allegations. 

In 2014, Lee interviewed his longtime friend for Interview magazine, and the musician shared his thoughts on how his music was used in the film. "I was pleasantly surprised and I like the film for the style in which you did it," Prince said. "I’d never seen that done before. The scene at Coney Island, where you used 'How Come U Don’t Call Me Any More,' is my favorite scene. In fact, it forced me to put that song back into our set. I said I would never play it again because I used to think I couldn’t do it better than I did with my band, the Revolution. But your film gave me newfound respect for the music."


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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