"All the Way Up," Fat Joe's 2016 hit with Remy Ma, is now at the center of a royalties lawsuit.
Florida artist Fly Havana filed a federal suit in New York alleging that his own "unfinished version" of the song, which also features French Montana and Infared, is “identical” to the one released in 2016. According to court docs excerpted by The Blast Monday, Havana has pointed out alleged similarities in melody, flow, and general composition.
By Havana's account, Joe first heard the track by way of co-producer and friend Infared before allegedly hitting him with radio silence. When "All the Way Up" made its debut in March 2016, Havana claims he was caught by surprise.
The suit further alleges that Joe later met up with Havana to give him a payment of $5,000 with "promises of more to come," though Joe is said to have not made any additional payouts. He's now suing the artists for profits. Joe's team, however, has disputed Havana's recollection of the song's beginnings. In an update on the suit shared Monday night, sources said Joe is arguing that Havana inked a release deal for the original track. Furthermore, he denies stealing the song.
"All the Way Up," complete with a DJ Khaled and Papoose-assisted video, ultimately peaked at No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Joe's grand return to the top 40 after nearly a decade. The collab also bagged a pair of Grammy nominations and top-tier remix treatments, including versions with JAY-Z and E-40.
