Legal Drama

LAWSUIT ALERT: Christian Rappers @Lecrae @Flame and Nigerian Producer Chike Ojukwu SUE KATY PERRY for Copyright Infringement!

I’ve been telling you all to get with the Christian hip-hop movement and some of y’all are sleeping on it. Y’all should know I don’t recommend things that are not on point. 🙂 Anyway, one more reason to get with the program. The hip-hop songs coming out of the Christian community, these days, are so dope that even the “circular” industry/world has to allegedly infringe on it. You don’t say? 🙂

On another note, it’s good to know that a Nigerian was involved in one of the hit Christian rap songs for a grammy award winning artist (Lecrae) ; that has now become the center of attention in a lawsuit filed against Katy Perry by Lecrae Moore, Marcus Gray aka Flame, Emanuel Lambert and Chike Ojukwu (producer) for copyright infringement.

I actually take this case on and provide my legal commentary and analysis. So, keep it locked right here for when I publish my take on the story.

Cheers,
Uduak

LECRAE, FLAME, OJUKWU AND LAMBERT’S ‘JOYFUL NOISE’

KATY’S ‘DARK HORSE’

“ST. LOUIS (CN) – Four Christian hip-hop artists claim in court that Katy Perry ripped off their song for her mega-hit “Dark Horse,” which they say tarnished the original tune with images of “witchcraft, paganism” and “black magic.”

Marcus Gray pka Flame, Lecrae Moore pka Lecrae, Emanuel Lambert and Chike Ojukwu sued Katy Perry, Capitol Records, Jordan Houston pka Juicy J, and others in Federal Court on Tuesday.

The plaintiffs claim the defendants used Lacrae’s song “Joyful Noise” without permission in Perry’s “Dark Horse.”

“By any measure, the ‘Dark Horse’ song also constitutes an infringement of plaintiffs’ copyright in their Christian gospel song ‘Joyful Noise,’ released five years before ‘Dark Horse,'” the lawsuit states. “Specifically, defendants’ unauthorized reproduction, distribution, and public performance of plaintiffs’ musical composition constitute infringement of plaintiffs’ exclusive rights in their copyright.

And by any measure, the devoutly religious message of ‘Joyful Noise’ has been irreparably tarnished by its association with the witchcraft, paganism, black magic, and Illuminati imagery evoked by the same music in ‘Dark Horse.’ Indeed, the music video of ‘Dark Horse’ generated widespread accusations of blasphemy and an online petition signed by more than 60,000 demanding removal of an offensive religious image from the video.”

The plaintiffs claim that Perry has performed “Dark Horse” in front of sold-out concerts throughout the country, that millions of copies have been sold and downloaded and that 435 million people have watched the “Dark Horse” video on You Tube.

Joyful Noise was created in 2007 and appeared on Flame’s album “Our World: Redeemed,” which was released in 2008. The album received a Grammy nomination for Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album and “Joyful Noise” received a 2008 Gospel Music Association Dove Award nomination for the Best Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year. “Joyful Noise” featured Lecrae.

“Dark Horse” was released in September 2013. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts in January and stayed in the top spot for weeks.

“Defendants never sought or obtained permission from plaintiffs to use the ‘Joyful Noise’ song in creating, reproducing, recording, distributing, selling, or publicly performing defendants’ song,” the complaint states.

“Plaintiffs never gave any of the defendants permission, consent, or a license to use ‘Joyful Noise’ for any purpose, including creation of a derivative work based on ‘Joyful Noise.'”

The plaintiffs seek an injunction, damages and the defendants’ profits gained from the unauthorized use of “Joyful Noise.”

– COURTHO– USE NEWS SERVICE

In case you haven’t heard of Lecrae, revisit my republished post on him a little while back:

If you are new to this blog, welcome. Long time readers know I love music, and all genres. However, my #1 genre is hip-hop music. It is what I most resonate or connect deeply with. I especially love the kind of hip-hop music Lecrae serves. Lecrae is a very talented artist who shares his music viewpoint from the perspective of a Christian. He drops his latest and hottest body of work titled ‘Church Clothes Vol. 2,’ a free mixtape which has been downloaded over 88,ooo times and counting since its release on November 7th, 2013.

I have purchased Lecrae albums, including his last one ‘Gravity,’ and I can say this mixtape is just as great, only it’s FREE! I suggest you cop yourself a copy. You should also check out his ‘Church Clothes’ Vol. 1 here.

Some of my favorite tracks on the Vol. 2 mixtape are:

‘I’m Turnt ‘ Produced by K.E 

[audio: https://africamusiclaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/05-Im-Turnt-Prod-by-KE-on-the-Track-DatPiff-Exclusive.mp3]

‘Fever’ which has a reggae influenced instrumental and features Andy Mineo and Papa San, Produced by Tyshane

[audio:https://africamusiclaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/04-The-Fever-ft-Andy-Mineo-Papa-San-Prod-by-Tyshane-DatPiff-Exclusive.mp3]

‘Lost My Way’ ft. King Mez, Daniel Daley and Produced by Boi1da & DZL

[audio:https://africamusiclaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/08-Lost-My-Way-ft-King-Mez-Daniel-Daley-Prod-by-Boi1da-DZL-DatPiff-Exclusive.mp3]

Misconception ft. W.L.A.K produced by Jon Jon Traxx

[audio:https://africamusiclaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/09-Misconception-Pt-2-Ft-WLAK-Prod-by-Jon-Jon-Traxx-DatPiff-Exclusive.mp3]

If I Die Tonight ft. Novel Produced by Justin Kahler

[audio:https://africamusiclaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/16-If-I-Die-Tonight-ft-Novel-Prod-by-Justin-Kahler-DatPiff-Exclusive.mp3]

Listen to the entire album below and download.

00 - Lecrae_Church_Clothes_2-back-large

 

Meet Lecrae

Africa Music Law™

AFRICA MUSIC LAW™ (AML) is a pioneering music business and entertainment law website, livestream and podcast show empowering the African artist and Africa's rapidly evolving entertainment industry through its brilliant music business and entertainment law commentary and analysis, industry news, and exclusive interviews.

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ABOUT THE FOUNDER

Credited for several firsts in the fashion and entertainment industry, Uduak Oduok (Ms. Uduak) is a fashion and entertainment lawyer, speaker, visionary, gamechanger, trailblazer, and recognized thought leader, for her work on Africa’s emerging global fashion and entertainment markets, and the niche practice of fashion law in the United States. She is also the founder of ‘Africa Music Law,’ an industry go-to music business and law blog and podcast show empowering African artists. Her work in the creative and legal industries has earned her numerous awards and recognitions, including an award from the American University Washington College of Law for her “legal impact in the field of intellectual property in Africa." She has also taught as an Adjunct Professor at several institutions in the United States. For more information, visit her at https://msuduak.com.

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