Joe Cooley Responds To Barry White Lawsuit Over Sample Used In Future’s “Like That”
Rodney-O & Joe Cooley released the song “Everlasting Bass” in 1988, which interpolates a sample of Barry White’s 1973 single “I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little More Babe.” The snippet flew under the radar for decades until Future and Metro Boomin’ sampled “Everlasting Bass” for their No. 1 single “Like That” featuring Kendrick Lamar.
In early October, The Barry White Family Trust, represented by Barry’s widow Glodean B. White and Jack W. Perry, fired off a lawsuit alleging “Like That” unlawfully lifts the bassline from White’s original composition. Future, Metro Boomin and Kendrick Lamar weren’t named as defendants in the lawsuit. They are believed to be indemnified by Rodney-O and Joe Cooley, thus shielding them from immediate legal action. The plaintiffs have left the door open for future claims should the indemnification prove insufficient.
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In a since-deleted Facebook post, Joe Cooley responded to the lawsuit, writing, “God is telling me to Man up leave Rodney-O alone and just stay away, he’s only adding more damages by falsely illegally using my name and production I got paperwork to prove it.” He also suggested he’d produce the receipts if or when it’s necessary to do so.
Rodney-O & Joe Cooley were signed to Egyptian Lover’s label, Egyptian Empire, at the time of the song’s release. AllHipHop reached out to Egyptian Lover, who confirmed Rodney-O owned the masters and publishing.
The lawsuit is presumably a devastating blow to Rodney-O and Joe Cooley. Rodney-O, who performed with DJ Quik at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado in April, was clearly elated by the success of “Like That” and the renewed interest in “Everlasting Bass.”
DJ Quik and crew played the We Don’t Trust You track for the sold-out crowd. Speaking to AllHipHop outside of DJ Quik’s dressing room, Rodney-O briefly spoke about the sample of “Everlasting Bass” being used for what was briefly the biggest song in the country.
“It’s amazing,” he said. “For something I made when I was 16, 17 years old to come back and be bigger than it was, ‘Hey, I’m all in!’ Keep it moving. Y’all keep listening!”
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