Estelle Wants Payment for Song Use in '21'

Posted on May 16th 2008 12:00PM by Karen Bliss
Comments

U.K. rapper/singer Estelle may win big herself after her song 'Magnificent' ended up in the soundtrack to the the film '21,' about some blackjack-playing students trained by a professor, without permission. "I haven't seen it," she says. "People told me about it. I didn't even know it was in there, so I'm having a moment with them right now about that."

Shouldn't she have received a check? "A huge one," she says, nodding, "because they did not tell us."

Estelle, who has a publishing deal with Chyrsalis and a record deal with John Legend's Home School, co-wrote the chilled-out dancehall song with Toronto rapper Kardinal Offishall (who guests on the track), producer Mark Ronson and Winston Riley (whose sample of 'Double Barrel' is used).

"We're screaming at everybody," Estelle says, laughing. "Everyone's got their lawyers out right now. I just get to sit back -- 'I want three-hundred grand.'"

It's not all hard feelings, though. "I'm happy that people want the music so bad that they're willing to do it anyway," she concedes.