Tweet
Jurors Hear Both Tracks in Ludacris Song-Jacking Case
Jurors compared Ludacris' "Stand Up" to I.O.F.'s "Straight Like That" in a copyright infringement lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, NY yesterday (May 23).
New Jersey-based I.O.F. is suing Ludacris, Kanye West, who produced the track, and Universal Music for allegedly stealing the chorus on "Straight Like That." According to reports, two out of 10 jurors bopped their heads as they listened to "Stand Up," but didn't budge when listening to I.O.F's cut.
Mel Sachs, the attorney who represents the group, assured the court that he would prove that Ludacris heard "Straight Like That" before releasing "Stand Up" in 2003. The former dropped in September 2001 and only played on college radio. Sachs added that hundreds of the single's promotional copies were distributed and that a Ludacris representative reached out to BMS Entertainment, the production company that produced "Straight Like That."
According to Sachs, the issue is that the words "like that" are repeated 80 times in both songs. The word "straight" precedes "like that" in I.O.F.'s version while the word "just" precedes it on Luda's version.
Christine Lepera, lawyer for Luda, West and EMI April Music Inc., says that I.O.F. is trying to claim rights to the words "like that."
"None of you can monopolize certain expressions," Lepera said in court. Meanwhile, Sachs pleaded the jury not to be "blinded by celebrity."
Last July, a New York federal judge denied Ludacris and Kanye's motion to have the case dismissed, forcing the duo to stand trial. Universal, Luda and Kanye are being sued for $10 million in damages.
The suit was first filed back in 2004. Several months after the suit was filed, I.O.F. released the dis track "Fuck Ludacris," claiming that Luda subliminally aimed at them on "Pass Out" off the emcee's Red Light District album.
Source: sohh.com
New Jersey-based I.O.F. is suing Ludacris, Kanye West, who produced the track, and Universal Music for allegedly stealing the chorus on "Straight Like That." According to reports, two out of 10 jurors bopped their heads as they listened to "Stand Up," but didn't budge when listening to I.O.F's cut.
Mel Sachs, the attorney who represents the group, assured the court that he would prove that Ludacris heard "Straight Like That" before releasing "Stand Up" in 2003. The former dropped in September 2001 and only played on college radio. Sachs added that hundreds of the single's promotional copies were distributed and that a Ludacris representative reached out to BMS Entertainment, the production company that produced "Straight Like That."
According to Sachs, the issue is that the words "like that" are repeated 80 times in both songs. The word "straight" precedes "like that" in I.O.F.'s version while the word "just" precedes it on Luda's version.
Christine Lepera, lawyer for Luda, West and EMI April Music Inc., says that I.O.F. is trying to claim rights to the words "like that."
"None of you can monopolize certain expressions," Lepera said in court. Meanwhile, Sachs pleaded the jury not to be "blinded by celebrity."
Last July, a New York federal judge denied Ludacris and Kanye's motion to have the case dismissed, forcing the duo to stand trial. Universal, Luda and Kanye are being sued for $10 million in damages.
The suit was first filed back in 2004. Several months after the suit was filed, I.O.F. released the dis track "Fuck Ludacris," claiming that Luda subliminally aimed at them on "Pass Out" off the emcee's Red Light District album.
Source: sohh.com