Bite Down: Producer Sues French Montana For Stealing Beat For “Lockjaw”

Moroccan Producer Assil Youssef Said “Coke Boy” Rapper Took “Lockjaw” Beat

A Moroccan-born producer said French Montana straight up stole his beat for his hit song “Lockjaw,” and he is suing and wants the rapper to pay up big time.

Assil Youssef sued French – whose real name is Karim Kharbouch – for copyright infringement in Manhattan Federal Court this month, alleging the rapper took the beat for his song without his permission and didn’t give him credit or a share of the song’s profits.

Youssef, who goes by “Yo Asel,” is a producer who works with well-known acts in North Africa. He said that he looked up to French as an artist who made it in America, and in 2015, Youssef reached out to him via email and sent him a beat. French replied, “Send more,” according to court papers, and Youssef believed French was going to put him on in the music biz.

Instead, Youssef said he was shocked in 2016 when he heard French’s song, “Lockjaw” which he said used a slightly altered version of his copyrighted beat, according to court papers.

He said he confronted French about the theft on social media, but French responded by blocking him. The producer said although “Lockjaw” went platinum, he was never given song credit or compensation.

Kodak Black, who featured on the song, was also named in the lawsuit, as well as Sony, producer Ben Billions (who got credit for making the beat) Bad Boy Records and French’s label Cocaine City Records.

Youssef said he has been damaged beyond repair by French’s alleged song theft and wants money damages, a percentage of the profits from “Lockjaw” and an injunction on its distribution.

Neither French Montana nor the other defendants have responded to the suit.