Rapper Nicki Minaj is being sued for allegedly sampling a Tracy Chapman song without permission.

Chapman filed a copyright infringement lawsuit in a Los Angeles federal court.

The Grammy-winning singer says Minaj’s unreleased track Sorry incorporates the lyrics and vocal melody from her 1988 single Baby Can I Hold You.

Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman in 1998 (Peter Jordan/PA)

The lawsuit states the Fast Car singer repeatedly denied multiple requests to sample her song for Minaj’s fourth album Queen.

Sorry was not included on Minaj’s album but Chapman alleges the rapper gave it to a popular New York disc jockey who played the song on the radio and posted it to his social media accounts in August.

Chapman is suing for unspecified damages and wants to prevent Minaj from releasing Sorry commercially.