Though Yung Gravy did get permission to rerecord the melody and lyrics of Rick Astley‘s iconic 1987 hit “Never Gonna Give You Up” for his 2022 hit “Betty (Get Money),” he was sued for impersonating Astley on the track. Now, Astley’s lawsuit against the rapper has been settled for an undisclosed sum, Billboard reports.
Astley claimed that Yung Gravy “flagrantly impersonated” his vocal style on the part of the song based on his hit, infringing upon his right of publicity. That right protects celebrities from people using their names and likenesses without authorization.
According to Billboard, Astley claimed that because Gravy sounded so much like him on the song, the rapper “obliterated” his chance to “collaborate with another artist and/or producer to create something new with his voice from ‘Never Gonna Give You Up,’” robbing him of future opportunities.
Astley’s attorney was Richard S. Busch, who also successfully represented the family of the late Marvin Gaye in their lawsuit against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams over “Blurred Lines.”
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