Universal and Warner Chappell Settle 'Bubble Gum' Copyright Lawsuit
Universal Music Group and Warner Chappell Music have settled a copyright lawsuit over 'Bubble Gum', a 2018 track by the rapper Quavo, according to a court filing made on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. Billboard obtained the filing and was first to report it.
The plaintiff is Lamount London, the rapper who performs as L.Mont. He sued Quavo, Universal Music Group (UMG) and Warner Chappell in a case that had been running since 2024. The filing says the settlement resolves the whole case. The terms are confidential, so the amount paid, if any, is not public.
London's claim goes back to 2016. He said he gave Quavo a CD with a demo of his own song, 'Bubblegum', after opening for Migos and 2 Chainz at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans. He alleged that Quavo later copied several elements from that demo for 'Bubble Gum', which appeared on the 2018 solo album Quavo Huncho. London sought financial damages for copyright infringement, meaning money awarded for using someone else's protected work without permission. These are allegations. No court has ruled on them.
The album was released through two UMG labels, Motown and Capitol Records. Quavo Huncho reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200, the United States chart that ranks albums by sales and streaming, and spent 27 weeks on it. Warner Chappell administers some of the publishing rights for 'Bubble Gum'. Publishing rights cover the song itself, meaning its composition and lyrics, which is separate from the recording.
The case was still at an early stage when it settled. None of the defendants had yet filed a written response setting out their legal positions. That means no defence had been put on the record before the deal was announced to the court.
Copyright disputes over songs often hinge on whether a demo, a rough early recording, was heard and used by a later artist. Settlements usually end those questions without a judge deciding them. This one leaves the allegations untested in court.
