Pete Rock and MC Shan have gotten into a public spat over a sample dispute.
Pete and Common sampled Shan’s classic 1986 track “The Bridge” on “Wise Up,” from their joint album The Auditorium Vol. 1.
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Shan was initially happy about the homage and saluted the duo in a video posted on Instagram in May, revealing that he had already received a check for the sample.
He wrote on Instagram after the single came out: “NOW EVERYBODY IN THE INDUSTRY ARE SLIME BAGS … @realpeterock & @common MEN OF RESPECT IN THIS GAME …. LOVE YOU BOTH FOR PUTTIN FOOD ON MY TABLE … YOUR NEPHEWS AND NIECES GONNA LOVE YALL THIS SUMMER YALL JUST ADDED 3MORE BEACHES TO UOR SUMMER PLANS …LOLOLOL.”
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Now, the rap legend has changed his tune and called out Pete Rock for sampling his music, allegedly without getting the proper authorization.
In a series of Instagram posts over the weekend, Shan claimed that he hadn’t actually been paid for the sample and threatened litigation against the duo.
“What you didn’t know is I own the publishing on The Bridge so it’s a bigger infringement than just you taking my voice and sample in a beat I own the publishing son,” he began.
“I usually stay quiet on things that’s not my business or when I see a man screaming foul that does the same thing and act like he should be paid and I shouldn’t you better go get that money back from homage son cuz he didn’t knock on my doing cut me in on nothing.. And just like you were able to get your money guess who’s going to be able to get theirs.”
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He added: “Y’all still looking at that homage factor I’m talking about business. I don’t have to get no money just causing them enough headache to the finish it is enough for me cuz now you got to come out your pocket to pay on this litigation so either way they’re going to pay.
“Because once that’s season just this letter hit they f****** lawyers table or they going to know what that’s about see y’all talking street I’m talking business I don’t care if Pete Rock [or] Common don’t ever want to sit down and have 10 crumpets with me we never had seeing crumpets in the first place.”
Pete responded by reminding Shan that he initially had no issue with him and Common sampling “The Bridge.”
“Ok lets play games I got time today. Im on vacay its all love. Ok soooo whats this? Im gonna say that @theofficialmcshan is one of the great ones and I absolutely love your story too. But im gonna ask you so there is no confusion, which one is it bro? Cuz now you hurtin my feelings,” he wrote.
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“You said this then you said that. Im gonna say that bridge record produced by @djmarleymarl was priceless and very inspiring and when a song does that for you somehow you give it back to that artist in a way you are showing your appreciation for not only shan but the whole juice crew.
“I grew up with that shit and when me n @common did the record ‘Wise Up’ common had the same feeling I did and we made sure that we did the absolute right thing by you bro. Alotta people in this business like who you mentioned and others who DONT do the right thing by not only me but many people, but it didnt ruin me.
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“I have true passion for this sir but you gotta make up your mind champ. We did good business with you and I will always honor you for what you did for me growing up. Now stop this amongst each other cuz Im getting tired of it champ real talk!! But I gotta hold you accountable on this receipt right here king. I still respect you! Be easy and be safe shan.”
However, the feeling was not reciprocated by Shan who then accused Pete Rock of sampling other work without permission.
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“Instead of playing the internet games you should have just said damn I’m sorry let’s fix it that’s what honorable men do,” he wrote. “So what I said what I said Im so on your a$$ wit this one as he was going through the claims he seen you not only did it to me once you did it like three or four times over the years but we going to leave you alone for those cuz those are over the 3-year statue.”
He continued: “I was going to leave it alone until I seen you felt like I felt when somebody took your stuff and didn’t pay you or give you the right credits so how can you be mad at me I didn’t take your stuff and not pay you took mine.
“And y’all was safe until I seen you beefing about the same beef that I had with you so that means all is fair there is no love in the music business.”
Shan did, however, give the legendary producer his props and clarified that he has no personal grudge against him, despite their legal disagreement.
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“Let me say this I love you and nothing can outshine your contribution to hip hop in no way am I trying to be disrespectful to you but you know me you heard of me been around me long enough to know that n word crazy he’s going to say what he has to say and if you know me you don’t take it too deeply because you know that I’m expressing myself,” he said.
“So let me say this to you pete rock I love you and I thank you for the contributions that you bring to hip hop to make our culture and our music genre what it is today you have a big part of that not just me and so when these people think I’m just angry and evil I want to let you know that I love you brother nothing can ever change that not this situation.”
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“This was a mistake on behalf of your end that’s all I look at that I’m not mad at you sir and I don’t want you to let this internet twist what what the facts are and the facts are I love you brother no harm no disrespect no none of that,” he added.
“I’m not that person anymore I’m bigger than that now I just want my money that’s all the same as you when you thought that you were done injustice and it was you that made me feel this injustice by that sting that I saw you saying.. Thank you for your time sir.”
