The rapper acknowledged contacting Arty after hearing Rebound, a 2011 song which the Russian produced with his British colleague Mat Zo.
Will.i.am recorded a new version with Chris Brown called Let's Go, which has been met with criticism online from Arty's fans.
He said he emailed Arty, who initially responded positively to an invitation to collaborate.
But in recent weeks, the DJ told fans on his Facebook page that there was no final deal between their respective labels and "the matter is under review by our legal teams".
Will.i.am credits Arty, whose real name is Artem Stoliarov, as a writer on the song in the liner notes for his album #willpower, which was released this week.
He blamed the slow legal clearance process and said he did not know Arty had worked with another producer on the track. He said his legal team was also at work on the issue.
"You can't steal if you credited somebody," explained will.i.am.
"He and I communicated. It's not my fault he didn't tell me about the other guy. So who is to blame? I didn't know."
A message sent to Arty's label, Anjunabeats, was not immediately returned.
Voice UK judge will.i.am, whose real name is William Adams, noted that his album includes collaborations with more well-known electronic dance music producers including Afrojack, Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso.
"I respect that world and in a way helped cross it over for it to be played on radio," he said.
Will.i.am, whose group the Black Eyed Peas went on hiatus two years ago, said he faced similar issues with slow legal clearances when Estelle and Kanye West released American Boy using the beat from his 2007 song Impatient.
"I don't mind because I like the song and I'm excited about the collaboration with Kanye and Estelle. And then the paperwork happens after it's out," he said.
"That happens a bunch of times where legal takes so long. The creative is instantaneous. You want things to come out."
No comments:
Post a Comment