Is it just us but hip hop and trademark go hand in hand unlike any other business sector out there.
Pitchfork report
JAY-Z Scores Racial Diversity Victory in Trademark Infringement Case
JAY’s case moves forward as the American Arbitration Association plans to introduce measures to improve diversity
In late November, JAY-Z and his legal team asked a judge to halt arbitration in an ongoing trademark case because of an alleged lack of diversity in the American Arbitration Association (AAA). JAY and his team have now withdrawn their motion to stop arbitration because AAA “has indicated an openness” to alter its process and introduce “measures intended to improve the diversity” of its roster, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
In a letter, JAY’s lawyer writes: “While the information AAA provided has confirmed that AAA lacks an appreciable number of minority (and particularly, African-American) arbitrators, AAA has indicated an openness both to an arbitrator selection process in this Arbitration that will allow for meaningful consideration of African-American arbitrators and to broader remedial measures intended to improve the diversity of the arbitrator roster for future arbitrations.” A status conference in the case is set for March 2019, according to THR.
Pitchfork has contacted representatives for JAY-Z.
Iconix Brand Group, which bought JAY-Z’s Rocawear in 2007, claimed in a 2017 lawsuit that it owns the Roc Nation logo and that JAY-Z is infringing on its trademark by using the logo on Major League Baseball apparel. Iconix filed for an arbitration proceeding against JAY-Z’s team, asking them to reveal financial information about their companies.
More at https://pitchfork.com/news/jay-z-scores-racial-diversity-victory-in-trademark-infringement-case/
But wait – there’s more !
Bloomberg reports
LL Cool J May Luck Into ‘Rock the Bells’ Rights for Sirius Channel
- Rapper targets “Rock the Bells” domains amid Sirius XM station launch
- Concert promoter failed to renew logo’s trademark registration
LL Cool J is poised to reclaim trademark rights to his song “Rock the Bells” despite not objecting to the promoter of a prominent concert series using the name for nine years.
The hip hop artist and actor filed a trademark infringement suit under his legal name, James Todd Smith, against now-defunct Guerilla Union Inc. targeting its Rock the Bells Twitter handle, Facebook page and web domain.
Intellectual property attorneys told Bloomberg Law that because the promoter does not appear to be operating—much less fighting for its trademark rights—Smith seems destined for an uncontested victory. But they also said if the promoter did fight, Smith’s inaction could’ve proven costly as he gobbles up intellectual property protections for his new “Rock the Bells” station on Sirius XM.
Smith claims Guerilla Union used his song’s title to promote the music festivals without his knowledge or permission. But even if that was the case, Smith still had a “duty to police” the mark from 2004 to 2013—the years the concerts were held, Jonathan Steinsapir, an entertainment and IP lawyer for Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump & Aldisert in Santa Monica, Calif., said.
“If you see others use it, you need to do something about it. I’d want to know what his excuse was for not knowing,” Steinsapir said, noting that the concert series series featured well-known performing artists, including Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, Mos Def, and Rage Against the Machine.
“I think he got lucky that the other party doesn’t seem to want these rights,” Steinsapir said. “These people could have put up a fight, cost him money and possibly shaken him down.”
