Ice Spice sued for allegedly copying her hit single from another New York rapper

Rapper Ice Spice has come under fire for allegedly ripping off a Brooklyn rapper’s previous song for her recent hit, “In Ha Mood.” Rapper D.Chamberz (Duval Chamberlain) claims in a case submitted to a federal court in Brooklyn that Ice Spice’s 2023 song is “strikingly similar” to his own 2021 release, “In That Mood.”

“By every method of analysis, ‘In Ha Mood’ is a forgery. Any proper comparative analysis of the beat, lyrics, hook, rhythmic structure, metrical placement, and narrative context will demonstrate that ‘In Ha Mood’ was copied,” D.Chamberz’s attorneys mention in their complaint, per Billboard.

Along with her frequent producer RiotUSA (Ephrem Lopez, Jr.), Universal Music Group, Capitol Records, and 10K Projects are named in the case against Ice Spice (Isis Naija Gaston).

According to the publication, “In Ha Mood” was released early last year and peaked at No. 58 on the Hot 100 and No. 18 on the US Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart after Ice Spice’s 2022 breakthrough. The song was later featured on her debut EP, Like..?, and she performed it as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live in October.

Still, D.Chamberz asserts that there are numerous similarities between the song and “In That Mood” for them to be mere coincidences. According to him, the recurring themes “go the core of each work” and are so evident that listeners have already noticed them.

His lawyers argue that “Non-expert listeners have independently pointed out that Defendants ‘stole’ ‘In That Mood’ in creating In Ha Mood. The two songs clearly employ numerous noticeably similar composition elements and lyrics, which result in a sound and feel that are very much alike.”

Nonetheless, in any copyright action, an accuser must demonstrate that the alleged infringer had “access” to the work to copy it. 

To demonstrate “access,” the lawsuit mentions that D.Chamberz shared “In That Mood” with his Instagram followers and that Hot 97 and Power 105.1, two New York City radio stations, gave the song “significant airplay.”

It even mentions one incident in which Riot reportedly posted an Instagram story of himself listening to Hot 97 “less than two minutes” before the song was played on the radio. Chamberz’s lawyers additionally highlights that Riot’s father is DJ Enuff, a well-known New York City radio personality who runs a show on Hot 97 and allegedly “actively engaged with D.Chamberz’s social media content.”

“Based on all of the facts and circumstances known to plaintiffs, as described above, it is probable – or, at the very least, reasonably possible – that defendants heard the work and knew about the work prior to the creation and publication of ‘In Ha Mood,’” his lawyers write.

According to Hiphopdx, Ice Spice has yet to officially reply to the lawsuit, even though the two songs share some characteristics, notably their beat and lyric structures.

She tweeted, “Nosey much?” in response to the news.