The British music company, EMI, has filed a lawsuit against the creators of Def Jam Rapstar over the game's apparent lack of proper rights to use a variety of songs featured in the game. 4mm Games and Terminal Reality are named as co-defendants in the case that alleges performances from such artists as Kanye West, DMX, and Lil Wayne to name a few were used without permission.
Beyond even those complaints, the EMI is claiming a violation or rights since the game is a form of karaoke, which is apparently something else the EMI hates with a passion.
EMI is asserting only part-owership in most of the allegedly infringed works. The complaint includes a listing of compositions and sound recordings that were used in the game. Examples include DJ Khaled's "I'm So Hood," which EMI claims 10 percent ownership, MIMS' "This Is Why I'm Hot," a song with 16 writers which EMI claims 16 percent ownership, and Lil Wayne's "Got Money," which EMI claims 30 percent ownership.
EMI also says some of its sound recordings were infringed in the game, such as Daft Punk's "Harder Better Faster Stronger," which was sampled and used by Kanye West in his hit song, "Stronger."
In total, the complaint lists 54 songs that were infringed, and the label wants statutory damages in the amount of $150,000 for each work infringed. Owning a part of a whole still might entitle a plaintiff to full statutory damages; if so, this would represent a lawsuit worth more than $8 million, and likely more because we're not counting the game's net profits, which plaintiffs also demand.
EMI also says some of its sound recordings were infringed in the game, such as Daft Punk's "Harder Better Faster Stronger," which was sampled and used by Kanye West in his hit song, "Stronger."
In total, the complaint lists 54 songs that were infringed, and the label wants statutory damages in the amount of $150,000 for each work infringed. Owning a part of a whole still might entitle a plaintiff to full statutory damages; if so, this would represent a lawsuit worth more than $8 million, and likely more because we're not counting the game's net profits, which plaintiffs also demand.
Beyond even those complaints, the EMI is claiming a violation or rights since the game is a form of karaoke, which is apparently something else the EMI hates with a passion.