Two producers who sued Karol G over a song from her chart-topping album Mañana Será Bonito have dropped their case – and in a rare move, they’re apologizing for filing it in the first place.
Producers Ocean Vibes (Jack Hernandez) and Alfr3d Beats (Dick Alfredo Caballero Rodriguez) claimed last year that the superstar and her co-writers stole key elements of the 2022 song “Gatúbela” from an earlier song called “Punto G.”
But in court filings on Wednesday, they said they had agreed to not only voluntarily dismiss the lawsuit, but to also issue a public apology for suing her on their YouTube, Instagram and Facebook accounts.
In a copy of that apology attached to the court filings, Hernandez and Rodriguez said that evidence, including studio session files, had proven that Karol’s producer DJ Maff actually created and recorded the beat to her song two weeks before “Punto G” was ever published.
“Given this evidence, we have decided to dismiss our lawsuit and wish to sincerely apologize to Karol G and DJ Maff for our mistaken claims and public allegations,” the two producers write. “We were wrong. We wish the best for Karol G, DJ Maff, and the other defendants.”
That kind of move is exceedingly rare in song-theft lawsuits, which artists frequently complain have little negative consequences for failed accusers. Cases often end with voluntary dismissals, but usually on confidential terms – and almost never with a public apology or admission of fault by an accuser.
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Karol G’s attorneys likely secured such a statement by threatening to seek repayment of their legal bills from Hernandez and Rodriguez, a maneuver recently used by Mariah Carey and by Nelly to punish unsuccessful copyright accusers. Such fees can easily reach six figures, and are easier to win in copyright cases than in other types of litigation.
Released in February 2023, Mañana Será Bonito was a critical and commercial success, winning album of the year at the Latin Grammy Awards and reaching No. 1 on the Billboard 200 — the first all-Spanish language album by a woman to do so. “Gatúbela” was a hit in its own right, reaching No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 4 on the Hot Latin Songs chart.
Hernandez and Rodriguez sued in March, claiming they “immediately recognized” the song’s similarities to “Punto G,” which they say was released two months earlier: “By every method of analysis, ‘Gatúbela’ is a forgery.”
But in their responses, they Karol G flatly denied any wrongdoing. And in a sign of things to come, her team said they could prove that “Gatúbela” was “independently created” – meaning they had evidence that Karol G’s song was actually created first.
Neither side immediately returned a request for comment on the resolution of the case.
