Record Label Says Teyana Taylor's 'K.T.S.E.' Includes Unauthorized Sample

During a recent interview on Big Boy’s Neighborhood, Teyana Taylor revealed there were a number of clearance issues that impacted the release of her K.T.S.E. album.

“I would probably have to blame a little bit of everybody because of the fact that we set a date and we had the listening party, and then we had clearance issues,” she said about the album’s delay. “Like, as far as the clearance issues, I don’t know. I feel like everybody plays a part.”

Hours after the interview was broadcasted, Numero Group told Pitchfork that the Kanye West-produced project included a sample of one of their songs featured on their 2010 Boddie Recording Company box set. The archival record label claims Teyana’s “Issues/Hold On” track used a sample of an unknown artist’s cover of the 1965 hit “I Do Love You,” sang by Billy Stewart.

“Without getting too nuanced, the Boddie Recording Company owns this master, and we represent their interests in such matters,” label co-founder Rob Sevier told the publication. “I want to be explicit that while we haven’t actually heard anything from Kanye’s team about this sample, we are in the midst of multiple other clearances and I don’t want to imply that they don’t intend to clear it.”

Teyana admitted that the current K.T.S.E. album isn’t completely finished. She said time restrictions made it difficult to include everything she wanted in the final product; however, she reassured fans that an updated version of K.T.S.E. is on the way.

“There are different levels of R&B on this album and then once y’all hear THE album, like next week, you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about because it’s way more completed,” she told Big Boy. “It’s just crazy.”