Travis Scott, SZA, and Future Name Kanye in ‘Telekinesis’ Lawsuit Defense
Victory Boyd, a rising gospel singer and former Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) collaborator, has filed a copyright lawsuit against Travis Scott, SZA, and Future, claiming the trio used lyrics and creative material from an unreleased track she co-wrote with Ye—without her permission. The track in question, “Telekinesis,” appeared on Scott’s 2023 album Utopia, but Boyd says it was lifted from a demo originally titled “Ultrasounds.” Boyd asserts that she wrote the lyrics to the song—then called “Like the Way It Sounds”—before the track evolved into “Telekinesis.” Her suit, filed earlier this year, argues that she was neither credited nor consulted when the song was officially released.
Attorneys for Scott, SZA, and Future, however, are seeking dismissal. In a motion filed by McPherson LLP, the legal team maintains that Ye, credited with crafting the beat and melody, had full authority as a co-author to greenlight the track’s release. “Should the plaintiffs’ complaint survive this motion (which it should not), the evidence will show that defendants’ usage of the LTWIS work was properly sanctioned by Mr. West, a joint author, who possesses the right to grant such permission,” the attorneys argued.
The motion further questions whether Boyd has a valid copyright registration for the lyrics and whether those lyrics can be legally protected apart from the larger musical work. “Without a valid registration, plaintiffs cannot pursue or sustain a claim for infringement,” the filing states.
A Challenge to Dismissal
In a statement to Billboard on July 15, Boyd’s attorney, Keith White, called the defense’s dismissal request “a transparent attempt” to bypass straightforward questions of copyright ownership and accounting. He confirmed that formal opposition papers will be filed within two weeks and said he remains confident the court will let the case proceed. “We believe the motion will be swiftly denied,” White said.
The legal filing arrives as Travis Scott promotes his latest compilation, JackBoys 2, released under his Cactus Jack Records label. The album includes features from Don Toliver, Sheck Wes, SoFaygo, and Wallie the Sensei, and was accompanied by videos for “Dumbo” and “Kick Out.”
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