Production duo Kemika1956 claim rapper’s recent single infringes on their 2021 song “Greasy Frybread” from the acclaimed FX series
Cardi B is facing a new copyright infringement lawsuit that alleges that her recent single “Enough (Miami)” used the beat from a song that featured on Reservation Dogs without permission.
Joshua Fraustro and Miguel Aguilar, who record as the production duo Kemika1956, filed the lawsuit in a Texas federal court Wednesday, with Cardi B and her “Enough (Miami)” collaborators OG Parker and DJ SwanQo as well as Atlantic Records and Warner Music Group as co-defendants.
In 2021, Kemika1956 released the song “Greasy Frybread” with “rapper Punkin’ Lusty,” the character played by actor Sten Joddi on the acclaimed FX series Reservation Dogs. In the three years since the track was uploaded on FX Networks’ YouTube, the video has accumulated over 758,000 views, including — as the lawsuit would leave you to believe — Cardi B and her “Enough (Miami)” producers, as both songs share a noticeably similar beat.
Soon after the release of “Enough (Miami)” — Cardi B’s first single as a solo artist and sans guests since 2021 — in March, the track reached Number Nine on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was also named one of Rolling Stone‘s Best Songs of 2024 So Far.
As the lawsuit — first reported by Billboard and obtained by Rolling Stone — states, “This civil action seeks damages and injunctive relief for multiple claims including copyright infringement, vicarious infringement, contributory infringement, unfair competition, and misappropriation.”
Fraustro and Aguilar’s lawsuit also seeks a temporary restraining order on the track, as well as the destroying of all infringing copies of the work, which is notable given the single’s 7″ vinyl release is due at the end of July.
A rep for Cardi B and Atlantic Records did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone‘s request for comment.