Jay Z's Song Made In America At Centre Of New Copyright Infringement Lawsuit

Hip-hop collaborators Jay Z, Kanye West and Frank Ocean have been named as defendants in a new federal copyright infringement lawsuit over their hit song Made In America.

Musician Joel Mac claims he sold a copy of his Cd, featuring his 2009 version of the track Made in America, to producer Mike Dean outside New York's Mercer Hotel back in 2011, when the superstar rappers were holed up in a suite inside recording their joint album Watch the Throne.

To his surprise, he later discovered Watch the Throne included a song with the same name - and he claims that wasn't the only similarity between the two tunes.

He filed suit in New York State court earlier this year (14), seeking $3 million (£1.67 million) in damages, but now he is stepping up his legal battle and taking it to federal court, according to Tmz.com.

Mac is seeking a cut of the Watch the Throne song profits amid allegations Jay Z, West, singer Ocean and Dean, who is listed as a producer on the release, lifted the concept of the track from the plaintiff's work.

The stars have yet to respond to the accusations.