Thursday, August 7, 2008

NEWS: More Drama For Mary J. Blige, Singer Caught Up in $2 Mil Copyright Suit

Grammy winning R&B legend Mary J. Blige is being sued for $2 million over the rights to a song from her last album.

According to New York’s Daily News, a federal lawsuit filed in Manhattan Federal Court today alleges Blige used the song “Work That” from her last album, Growing Pains, without the permission of Dream Family Entertainment. Producer, Theron Feemster, who wrote the music for the track, was apparently under contract to Dream.

The suit claims that Blige, Feemster or Geffen Records were never given rights to use the song.

"Mr. Feemster created the music while he was under contract with Dream Family,” said Dream attorney, Brian Caplan. “Dream Family then owned the music, yet the music was used without permission in a Mary J. Blige release recording.”

“It was released as an album, a single and in a commercial,” he added.

Caplan also admitted it was uncertain whether Mary J was aware the music did not belong to Feemster, who “had no rights to the music he used.”

There is no debate as far as the rights to the song’s lyrics, which were used with Blige in an iPod commercial.

As of press time, Geffen Records, Feemster or reps of Mary J. had declined to comment on the suit.

Labels: Mary J. Blige, music