Producers Withdraw Lawsuit Against Karol G, Admit Copyright Claims Were Mistaken
Two music producers who accused Karol G of copying their work have formally withdrawn their lawsuit and issued a public apology, acknowledging that their claims lacked merit.
Jack Hernandez, known professionally as “Ocean Vibes,” and Alfred Caballero Rodriguez, who performs under the name “Alfr3d Beats,” filed a copyright infringement suit last year alleging that Karol G’s track “Gatúbela,” from her album Mañana Será Bonito, improperly borrowed elements from a song they had released on YouTube titled “Punto G.” This week, however, the producers submitted a written apology to federal court following mediation proceedings that, they said, clarified the timeline of the disputed material.
In the filing, Hernandez and Caballero Rodriguez stated that evidence produced during discovery, including original session files, demonstrated that producer Marvin “DJ Maff” Hawkins Rodriguez independently created the instrumental foundation of “Gatúbela” months before “Punto G” was published. They further acknowledged that Karol G recorded her vocals for “Gatúbela” approximately two weeks before the YouTube release of “Punto G.”
“Given this evidence, we have decided to dismiss our lawsuit and wish to sincerely apologize,” the producers wrote, adding bluntly: “We were wrong.” As part of the agreement, they committed to posting the apology in both English and Spanish across their social media platforms.
The dismissal was accompanied by a joint stipulation confirming that neither Karol G nor her collaborators paid any settlement funds to resolve the dispute. Under the terms outlined in court documents, each party will bear its own legal fees. Karol G and her co-writers agreed only to cover the costs associated with mediation.
The original complaint, filed in March of last year, alleged that similarities between the two songs, particularly a synthesizer riff and vocal chorus melody, were so pronounced that they could not be coincidental. The producers claimed that a musicology expert had conducted a detailed comparison supporting their position.
In response, Karol G’s legal team submitted evidence indicating that the disputed beat, melody and chord progression were created by DJ Maff in December 2021. According to filings, the singer finalized lyrics and recorded vocals during a June 29, 2022 songwriting session in Spain. “Punto G” was uploaded to YouTube on July 12, 2022, after “Gatúbela” had already been recorded.
The episode marks the second time in recent years that the Colombian pop star has successfully defended herself against copyright claims. In a separate case involving her 2021 collaboration “Don’t Be Shy,” a federal judge in Florida dismissed a lawsuit that alleged infringement, criticizing the plaintiff’s proposed expert witness as unreliable.
Karol G’s career has continued to ascend amid these legal challenges. In 2025, she won Song of the Year at the Latin Grammy Awards for her hit “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,” further cementing her status as one of Latin music’s most commercially dominant artists.
Karol G has not publicly commented on the dismissal.
