Tue Jul 15 22:10:00 UTC 2025: ## Summary:
Travis Scott, SZA, and Future are seeking to dismiss a copyright infringement lawsuit filed by gospel singer Victory Boyd regarding their 2023 hit “Telekinesis.” Boyd claims the song infringes on her copyrighted lyrics from an unreleased track called “Like the Way It Sounds,” which was co-written with Ye (formerly Kanye West) and titled “Ultrasounds”. The artists’ lawyers argue that they had permission from Ye, who they say created the demo’s beat, chords and melody. They also argue that Boyd’s copyright registration is invalid because it falsely claims she was the sole author, and a separate lyric-only registration is also invalid. Boyd’s attorney insists the motion is a delay tactic and expects it to be denied.
## News Article:
**Travis Scott, SZA, and Future Move to Dismiss Copyright Suit Over “Telekinesis,” Citing Ye’s Approval**
**Los Angeles, CA – July 15, 2024** – Travis Scott, SZA, and Future are fighting back against a copyright infringement lawsuit filed by gospel singer Victory Boyd, claiming their 2023 hit “Telekinesis” did not violate Boyd’s intellectual property rights. The trio filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit on Monday, arguing that they had received express permission to use the underlying track from Ye (formerly Kanye West), who co-wrote the song “Like the Way It Sounds” with Boyd, which then became “Ultrasounds”.
Boyd sued the artists in January, alleging that “Telekinesis” infringed on her copyrighted lyrics from “Like the Way It Sounds,” which was intended for Ye’s use but never released. She claims she never authorized the use of her lyrics by Scott, SZA, and Future.
However, lawyers for the defending artists argue that the claims are baseless because Ye, the creator of the song’s beat, chords, and melody, granted them permission to use “Ultrasounds.” “To the extent that plaintiffs’ [complaint] survives this motion (which it should not), the facts will demonstrate that defendants’ use, if any, of the LTWIS work was duly authorized by Mr. West, as a joint author of the LTWIS work, having the right and authority to authorize such use,” state the artists’ attorneys in court documents.
Furthermore, the motion argues that Boyd’s copyright registration is flawed. Scott, SZA, and Future contend that Boyd initially registered the song with the U.S. Copyright Office as the sole author, which they claim is false. They also argue that her subsequent attempt to register only the lyrics is invalid because lyrics created in tandem with a musical composition cannot be copyrighted as a standalone work.
“Without a valid registration, plaintiffs cannot initiate or maintain a claim for infringement,” the motion states.
Boyd’s attorney, Keith White, dismissed the motion as a delaying tactic. “We will file opposition papers within the next two weeks, and we fully expect Travis Scott’s motion to be summarily denied in short order,” White told Billboard.
Reps for Scott, SZA, Future, and Ye have yet to comment publicly.
“Telekinesis” peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2023, spending 11 weeks on the chart.