Regretting that Kim and Kanye cover, Anna? Now Vogue is being sued over 'unauthorized samples' in music for behind-the-scenes video

  • Ricky Spicer claims that Vogue used West's Bound 2 track that contains unauthorized samples of his voice
  • Spicer filed a lawsuit against Kanye last year accusing him of 'stealing' a sample of his voice from his Seventies track, Bound
  • The Kim Kardashian and Kanye West cover is tipped to be Vogue's best selling issue of the year

By Tamara Abraham

Published: 15:37 EST, 18 April 2014 | Updated: 17:23 EST, 18 April 2014

A former child star has filed a lawsuit against Vogue over the music used on a behind-the-scenes video for its Kim Kardashian and Kanye West cover shoot.

Ohio-based Ricky Spicer, 56, who was the 12-year-old lead singer of Seventies soul group The Ponderosa Twins Plus One, claims that the glossy magazine used West's Bound 2 track that contains unauthorized samples of his voice.

His Manhattan civil suit, obtained by the New York Post, says: 'Mr Spicer’s voice is used substantially throughout the video, comprising approximately 44 per cent of the lyrics.'

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Legal action: Former child star Ricky Spicer has filed a lawsuit against Vogue over the music used on a behind-the-scenes video for its Kim Kardashian and Kanye West cover shoot

Legal action: Former child star Ricky Spicer has filed a lawsuit against Vogue over the music used on a behind-the-scenes video for its Kim Kardashian and Kanye West cover shoot

The suit, which is seeking unspecified compensation, claims that Vogue 'knowingly used the voice audio recording of Mr Spicer without his authorization or consent.'

Spicer has already filed a lawsuit against West, Roc-A-Fella Records, Island Def-Jam Music, Rhino Entertainment and Universal Music Group over the Bound 2 track.

The suit, filed at the Manhattan Supreme Court in December last year, claims that West 'stole' a sample of his voice from his Seventies track, Bound.

It said: 'Mr Spicer’s voice is sampled exactly as he recorded it and his voice … is heard several times.'

Spicer claims that he never granted West or anyone associated with him permission to use his voice.

Behind-the-scenes video: The suit, which is seeking unspecified compensation, claims that Vogue 'knowingly used the voice audio recording of Mr Spicer without his authorization or consent'

Behind-the-scenes video: The suit, which is seeking unspecified compensation, claims that Vogue 'knowingly used the voice audio recording of Mr Spicer without his authorization or consent'

  
Move over mama: Kim Kardashian might have had to wait 33 years for her US Vogue cover but her daughter North West made her way into the magazine at the age of just eight months

Move over mama: Kim Kardashian might have had to wait 33 years for her US Vogue cover but her daughter North West made her way into the magazine at the age of just eight months

He added that he was stunned when he heard himself on Bound 2, the second single from West's Yeezus album that debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 chart in June 2013.

Vogue's behind-the-scenes video shows Kardashian and West on set with their baby daughter North, posing for top photographer Annie Leibovitz.

It accompanied one of the title's most controversial covers, which saw Kardashian and West posing together ahead of their wedding later this year.

The decision to put them on the cover sparked a backlash from readers, with some critics claiming that they feld 'betrayed' by the magazine.

Stolen samples? Spicer has already filed a lawsuit against West, Roc-A-Fella Records, Island Def-Jam Music, Rhino Entertainment and Universal Music Group over the Bound 2 track

Stolen samples? Spicer has already filed a lawsuit against West, Roc-A-Fella Records, Island Def-Jam Music, Rhino Entertainment and Universal Music Group over the Bound 2 track

Throwback: Mr Spicer was the 12-year-old lead singer of Seventies soul group The Ponderosa Twins Plus One, pictured here on an album cover

Throwback: Mr Spicer was the 12-year-old lead singer of Seventies soul group The Ponderosa Twins Plus One, pictured here on an album cover

But Anna Wintour, the magazine's editor-in-chief, defended her choice and also put an end to rumors that West had been 'begging' her to put Kardashian on the cover of Vogue.

She wrote in her Editor's Letter: 'You may have read that Kanye begged me to put his fiancée on Vogue’s cover. He did nothing of the sort. The gossip might make better reading, but the simple fact of the matter is that it isn’t true.'

What's more, it seems her choice is proving to be a wise one as the issue is flying off newsstands.

According to the New York Post, the controversial April issue is set to sell around 400,000 copies. Comparatively, Beyonce's cover sold more than 355,000 copies and Michelle Obama's cover sold nearly 300,000.

A spokesperson for Vogue did not immediately reply to MailOnline's request for comment.

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good ... the editors should have known better

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uh oh....

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Karma! Who would have thought that Kanye would find a shady way to get around paying somebody. Can you imagine if somebody would've cut corners to get HIS voice on one of their tracks? His narcissism caught up with him. Leave it to Kanye to make sure his OWN music was playing with this video!

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Good riddins Ms. Wintour.

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So many of his songs included sampled works of other (classic) artists... Makes one question the supposed 'creative genius' he claims to be.

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This guy is looking for publicity, he's already suing the label, the buck stops with them!

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Best selling issue of the year . !!! Seriously I'm baffled . !

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Seriously, best selling? Who are the fans of these two. Honestly they must have tons of fans but I personally do not know one person into either of them. And yes I am over 35.

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Ha ha ha.

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How did this ever happen? Takes away the whole reputation that Vogue has built tirelessly over the years it maybe the best selling issue but at what cost a lot of fashionistas will drop this from their subscriptions in disbelief

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