3 Count: All Rap Edition

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1: Filmmaker Sues Snoop Dogg for Knockoffs

First off today, Rebekah Kearn at Courthouse News Service reports that filmmaker Fuzzy Logic Productions has filed a lawsuit against Calvin Broadus, better known as Snoop Dogg, his company Trapflix and others involved with what Fuzzy Logic calls an unauthorized sequel to 2012 film entitled Snow on tha Bluff.

The original film was about a drug dealer in The Bluff, a notorious neighborhood in Atlanta. However, Trapflix, which is a movie streaming company owned by Snoop Dogg, released a sequel entitled Snow on tha Bluff 2, which featured the same characters, many of the same actors and was a continuation of the same story but marking it as a “Trapflix original motion picture”.

Fuzzy Logic says that they were approached by the defendants to sell the trademark and other intellectual property but declined. Fuzzy Logic is now suing both for copyright and trademark infringement and further worries that Trapflix is attempting to establish a trademark on “Snow on tha Bluff” as their own, despite proof that it is the creation of Fuzzy Logic.

2: Jay Z and Timbaland to Testify in Copyright Trial Over 1999 Song ‘Big Pimpin’

Next up today, Luke Morgan Britton at NME reports that Jay-Z and Timbaland are expected to testify in a lawsuit over a sample used in Jay-Z’s 1999 hit Big Pimpin’.

The lawsuit stems from a flute sample that was taken from a 1960 song Khosara Khosara, which was written by Egyptian composer Baligh Hamdi for the film Fata Ahlami. A sample of the track appeared in Big Pimpin’ but Jay-Z and others claim to have previously paid $100,000 to EMI Music Arabia for the rights to the sample.

However, Hamdi claims that EMI did not have the right to license the track and further, he said he did not want his work associated with a “vulgar and base” song such as Big Pimpin’. The case has now wound its way to a potential trial and it appears that, if the trial takes place, both Jay-Z and Timbaland will testify at it.

3: Rick Ross Wants Copyright Case Dismissed

Finally today, the AAP is reporting that rapper and record label owner Rick Ross has file a motion to dismiss a copyright infringement case against him over his use of a photo of Jay-Z.

Photographer Armen Djerrahian filed the lawsuit last year claiming that Rick Ross had used a photo he snapped in various promotional materials including posters, advertisements, websites, CD covers and more. However, Ross has hit back saying that Djerrahian doesn’t hold a valid copyright in the image and, further, that it was licensed through an oral agreement.

The photo in question is ab image of Jay-Z in his video for Movin’ Bass and has gone on to become one of the more recognizable photos of Jay-Z.

Update: I’ve received word from an attorney involved in the case that this story is inaccurate and that no motion to dismiss has been filed by Rick Ross in this case. I’m hoping to have more information on this story shortly in a future edition of the 3 Count…

Suggestions

That’s it for the three count today. We will be back tomorrow with three more copyright links. If you have a link that you want to suggest a link for the column or have any proposals to make it better. Feel free to leave a comment or send me an email. I hope to hear from you.

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