Jay Z settles copyright dispute over Versus

Rap superstar Jay Z has agreed to hand over half of all royalties from his 2013 song Versus to composer Bruno Spoerri after failing to obtain permission to sample the Swiss jazz musician's work for the track.

Spoerri took aim at the 99 Problems hitmaker last year (14) after discovering his 1978 instrumental On the Way featured heavily on Versus from the rapper's Magna Carta... Holy Grail album.

He pursued legal action and, after initially rejecting an offer to settle the claim, the 79 year old has confirmed the royalties war is over, according to Swedish newspaper The Local.

He will reportedly receive 50 per cent of all profits from the song.

Jay Z is no stranger to copyright infringement allegations - he managed to have a suit filed over his Kanye West and Rihanna collaboration Run This Town tossed out of court in December (14), while he is still fighting claims over the use of an Egyptian tune on his 1999 hit Big Pimpin'.