"These are two parties that have a long-standing working collaboration," West's attorney, Jeffrey Thennisch, told The Detroit News. "Mr. West has the utmost respect for Springtime and everyone associated with it. Mr. West has told me that he owes much of his career to Aretha Franklin and that he views her as both a mentor and a guiding force in his career."
The lawsuit was filed, West claims, after private attempts to settle the dispute failed over the past year.
West's copyright infringement claim is over an earlier song, "Watch My Back."
The Associated Press left messages Saturday seeking comment from Franklin's attorney.
Franklin has had a busy and eventful past few months. The music legend underwent surgery in early December in Detroit for an undisclosed ailment. She attributed losing more than 80 pounds to a change in diet and exercise.
She fractured a toe on her left foot in June, but continues to perfo