Lawsuit Against Ice Spice Regarding ‘In Ha Mood’ Song: Settlement Reported

Ice Spice has reportedly reached a settlement in a copyright lawsuit alleging that her song In Ha Mood copied Brooklyn rapper D. Chamberz’s 2021 track, In That Mood. Attorneys from both parties agreed on the settlement terms, although they remain undisclosed. Court documents obtained by Pitchfork reveal that the settlement was finalized on September 20, 2024.

The lawsuit was initiated in January 2024, with D. Chamberz asserting that the similarities between his track and Ice Spice’s were “not purely coincidental,” citing multiple commonalities. He claimed that numerous listeners recognized what he referred to as a “forgery” of his song.

The now-resolved complaint stated:

“By every method of analysis, ‘In Ha Mood’ is a forgery. Any proper comparative analysis of the beat, lyrics, hook, rhythmic structure, metrical placement, and narrative context will demonstrate that ‘In Ha Mood’ was copied.”

Ice Spice released In Ha Mood in January 2023 under Capitol Records, following a teaser on social media in December 2022. The track swiftly became a global sensation, topping numerous charts.

D. Chamberz and Kass the Producer File Copyright Lawsuit Against Ice Spice

Although Ice Spice did not publicly address the lawsuit nor admit to any infringement, D. Chamberz noted in his complaint that he had performed In That Mood “no less than 36 times” in New York. He also claimed that the track enjoyed “significant airplay” on radio stations, implying that it was highly improbable for Ice Spice to have not heard it prior to her song’s release. The rapper pointed out that both tracks share similar titles, use “similar hook and chorus lyrics,” and feature “an almost identical tempo.”

As part of the lawsuit, D. Chamberz sought compensation of “no less than fifty percent (50%) of the publishing and other revenues”from the track as damages. However, the details regarding whether he received any compensation from Ice Spice remain unclear following the settlement.

The complaint further emphasized:

“The similarities between In Ha Mood and the Work [In That Mood] – including the key phrase used in the chorus and repeated in a substantially similar manner numerous times throughout both songs – are such that it is simply not reasonable to believe that In Ha Mood could have been created without having heard the Work first.”

The lawsuit was originally filed by D. Chamberz alongside Kass the Producer, who included Dolo Entertainment Inc., RiotUSA, Capitol Records, Capitol Music Group, 10K Projects, and Universal Music Group as defendants.

In other developments, Ice Spice, also known as Isis Naija Gaston, is currently on her Y2K! World Tour, which kicked off on July 2, 2024, and is set to conclude on January 5, 2025. The tour will include 43 shows across locations such as Denmark, Poland, Belgium, the USA, Canada, England, France, Germany, and New Zealand.

Meanwhile, Ice Spice continues to revel in the success of her debut album, Y2K!, which has resonated widely with audiences. Featuring guest appearances from artists like Travis Scott and Gunna, the album includes 11 tracks, such as Gyat, TTYL, BB Belt, Did It First, Popa, and Plenty Sun.

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