Update!

Kanye West and Jay-Z Accused of Sneaky Sampling, Bluesman Alleges in Lawsuit

Songwriter and performer Syl Johnson targeting Watch the Throne stars saying they used one of his tracks without offering credit

By Bruna Nessif Oct 18, 2011 1:30 AMTags
Kanye West, Jay-Z Ethan Miller/Wireimage

Different strokes for different folks...that is, unless one of the folks doesn't think those strokes sound very different at all.

Let us explain. Watch the Throne collaborators  Kanye West and Jay-Z have been slapped with a lawsuit for allegedly using a sample from bluesman Syl Johnson without giving proper credit, according to Gossip Cop.

So what is the suit talking about?

According to court papers filed in Illinois Federal Court, Johnson is claiming that on the song "The Joy" the rap powerhouses used a portion of his 1967 song "Different Strokes" without crediting (or just as importantly, compensating) him.

Is this a bad rap?

According to the website, there had been discussions about using "The Joy" for West's album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, but when that didn't end up happening the tune was used for his collaboration with Hova.

The blues and soul man, who got his start with blues legends like Howlin' Wolf, Jimmy Reed and Junior Wells, is no stranger to lawsuits, either. He's cracked down on Wu Tang Clan and Kid Rock among others for allegedly taking from his compositions.

Take a listen to "The Joy" and compare it to Johnson's "Different Strokes" below!

UPDATE: Jay-Z and West reached a confidential settlement, according to court documents filed in Illinois, and the case was dismissed in March 2012.