The atomic dog George Clinton has decided to bring the funk to the courtroom. That much was evident when the funk pioneer filed suit against the Black Eyed Peas for using elements of his 1979 song “(Not Just) Knee Deep” on the remixed version of 2003’s “Shut Up.”
In the suit, Clinton claims that producers approached him to license the song, but he refused. Apparently, his direction wasn’t heeded, and Clinton is ready to administer a swift judicial foot to the a– of the group, as well as individual members will.i.am and Fergie, who are named in the suit. Clinton is also suing the label, Universal Music Group.
While the group and the label remain mum on the subject, Clinton’s lawsuit speaks volumes about the rampant increase of copyright infringement cases. In a society that grows exponentially litigious with each calendar year, this case serves as a reminder to all musicians to get your house in order before you start digging through the record crates to sample. I’m sure that the Black Eyed Peas can endure any financial hit that will result from a probable settlement, but a new artist may not be able to absorb such a blow. The moral of this story: it’s better to be safe than sorry. –djr
