Legal Drama for Jay-Z and Ice T
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Former 2 Live Crew member Marquis Ross (a.k.a. Brother Marquis) filed suit against Jay-Z and Ice-T in New York on Monday, claiming that he wrote a song with similar beats and lyrics to "99 Problems."
According to The Associated Press, the lawsuit filed by Ross in U.S. District Court in Manhattan requests royalties from the song, which appears on Jay-Z's 2003 release, The Black Album. Jay-Z holds a copyright on the track, which was based on a song of the same name released by Ice-T on his 1993 album, Home Invasion. The earlier version credits Ice-T and DJ Aladdin as songwriters.
Ross alleges that the chorus of Jay-Z's song is similar to the lyrics and beats he wrote for the Ice-T song, for which he was not credited. He claims in the suit that Ice-T refused to pay him royalties on the tune until 2005, when he made a "partial payment" of $10,000. Ross is requesting back royalties and punitive damages.
Representatives for Ice-T and Jay-Z could not be reached for comment at press time.
Gil Kaufman
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Former 2 Live Crew member Marquis Ross (a.k.a. Brother Marquis) filed suit against Jay-Z and Ice-T in New York on Monday, claiming that he wrote a song with similar beats and lyrics to "99 Problems."
According to The Associated Press, the lawsuit filed by Ross in U.S. District Court in Manhattan requests royalties from the song, which appears on Jay-Z's 2003 release, The Black Album. Jay-Z holds a copyright on the track, which was based on a song of the same name released by Ice-T on his 1993 album, Home Invasion. The earlier version credits Ice-T and DJ Aladdin as songwriters.
Ross alleges that the chorus of Jay-Z's song is similar to the lyrics and beats he wrote for the Ice-T song, for which he was not credited. He claims in the suit that Ice-T refused to pay him royalties on the tune until 2005, when he made a "partial payment" of $10,000. Ross is requesting back royalties and punitive damages.
Representatives for Ice-T and Jay-Z could not be reached for comment at press time.
Gil Kaufman
