“Skatin’” to Court: Independent Songwriters Sue Diddy, Snoop Dogg, Biggie’s Estate, Sony and Others Over Alleged Bad Faith and Copyright Infringement of 1980 Composition

New York, NY — On July 14, 2026, independent songwriters David Bravo and Jean Albert Renaud filed a federal copyright infringement complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The lawsuit alleges that some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Diddy, Snoop Dogg, Nelly, the Estate of The Notorious B.I.G., the Estate of Angie Stone, Jazze Pha and Sony, unlawfully appropriated their original musical composition and profited from it for decades without permission, credit, or compensation.

This federal case is a classic “David versus Goliath” battle. Plaintiff David Bravo, a 73-year-old keyboardist whose career was cut short by severe arthritis in his hands, and co-plaintiff Jean Albert Renaud, an 84-year-old Army veteran living primarily on Social Security and veterans’ benefits, allege they were denied the recognition and royalties they rightfully earned.

Represented by Polina Ivko, Esq. of the law firm Adwar Ivko, Plaintiffs allege the recording artists, producers, and record labels willfully copied a highly specific four-bar structure from their registered composition, “Skatin’”. Rather than a passing sample, this misappropriated segment was allegedly looped to serve as the complete musical backing track for the 2000s hit songs “Nasty Girl” and “I Wanna Thank Ya”.

The lawsuit also asserts claims for breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty against Sony. Plaintiffs allege the publisher acted in bad faith by citing an admitted “conflict of interest” to avoid pursuing infringement claims on their behalf. The complaint argues Sony deliberately turned a blind eye to the theft to protect the revenue streams of its more lucrative clients rather than advocate for the everyday creators it was legally obligated to defend. 

The full list of defendants is Diddy, Snoop Dogg, Nelly, The Estate of the Notorious B.I.G., The Estate of Angie Stone, Jazze Pha, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Chappell Music, Universal Music Publishing, Bad Boy Records and Sony Music Publishing. The case is docketed as Bravo et al v. Sony Music Publishing LLC et al., No. 1:26-cv-05954-NRB. A copy of the publicly filed complaint is available through the court’s electronic records system (PACER).