The Sequence was considered one of the first female rap groups to step on the scene in the 1970s. The group consisted of Angie Stone, Cheryl “Cheryl the Pearl” Cook and Gwendolyn “Blondie” Chisolm, and now its hit song “Funk You Up” is the subject of music controversy.
The group has accused Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson of stealing and using pieces of the song for their Grammy Award-winning song “Uptown Funk.” Kali Bowyer, a representative for Sequence, says that the issue isn’t a new one because of the Grammy win—it’s been going on for two years.
In an interview with Vibe, Bower said the similarities are there.
“This is not, and has not been, an overnight issue, nor following the Grammy-bandwagon party,” Bowyer told Vibe. “This fight did not just begin; the issues and paperwork date back going on close to two years over the songs ‘Uptown Funk’ and ‘Funk You Up.’ And with the issue in respects to Bruno, dates back to the actual release date of ‘Uptown Funk.’”
Last year, Mars and Ronson were ordered to credit every member of the Gap Band after that group accused them of using lyrics from its 1979 hit “Oops Upside Your Head.”
At first listen, you can actually hear the similarities between “Funk You Up” and “Uptown Funk.” It’ll be interesting to see if a court will rule in Sequence’s favor, if the issue actually ends up in court.