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Playboi Carti Scores Legal Win In UMG Copyright Case Over Incorrect Takedown

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Playboi Carti and Universal Music Group (UMG) just dodged a huge legal bullet thanks to a new ruling from a federal judge. Moreover, this case stems from the aforementioned artist and label taking down a song from G-Baby which uses the same beat from Carti and Pi’erre Bourne’s “Right Now.” However, G-Baby actually released his song “Oi!” before “Right Now” and did so with a legal license to use this same beat. The judge in this matter ruled that the “FIELD TRIP” creative and UMG didn’t violate the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) when they mistakenly took “Oi!” down since they didn’t intend to do so.

Furthermore, this ruling emerged on Tuesday (August 27) amid an update in last year’s lawsuit from G-Baby against Playboi Carti and UMG. The suit claimed that this takedown violated the DMCA’s stipulations protecting creators from improper takedowns. However, the judge in this ruling cited that previous decisions indicate how these safeguards only apply to intentionally irresponsible uses of the legal framework to shut other products down. As such, it seems like the “No Face” MC (which might appear on streaming services soon) will be in the clear.

Read More: Playboi Carti Tries To Explain Himself In Wild Body Cam Footage Of Traffic Stop

Playboi Carti Performing At Wireless Festival 2023

Playboi Carti Lawsuit UMG Copyright Take Down Hip Hop News
LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 07: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Playboi Carti performs during day one of Wireless Festival 2023 at Finsbury Park on July 07, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage/Getty Images)

“Because the DMCA requires only a good faith belief that material is infringing, a copyright holder is not liable for misrepresentation under the DMCA if they subjectively believe the identified material infringes their copyright, even if that belief is ultimately mistaken,” Judge Analisa Torres expressed. She also explained how G-Baby admitted that the UMG employee who took “Oi!” down didn’t know that he licensed the beat that Playboi Carti also used. “This admission alone dooms [G-Baby’s] claim against UMG,” Torres posited. Hopefully Carti and The Weeknd don’t face these issues on their supposed next collab.

Back to the story at hand: “[G-Baby] cites no caselaw for the proposition that one employee’s knowledge that a use may be non-infringing should be imputed to another employee who independently issues a takedown notice on behalf of the company,” the judge ruled. “Although [Playboi Carti] may well have been aware of (and displeased with) [G-Baby’s] license to use the beat, [G-Baby] has failed to establish that [Carti] had any part in the takedown notices.” We’ll see what happens next for one of Complex‘s best Atlanta rappers of all time.

Read More: Iggy Azalea Seemingly Mocks Playboi Carti’s Baby Voice In New Ad

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Drake Slapped With Copyright Strike After Dropping Unreleased Music

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Drake dominated the news cycle when he dropped “100 Gigs” on our collective headtops. The rollout worked, as fans sifted through unreleased footage and reactive positively to new collabs with Latto and 21 Savage. The only problem was, Drake’s label did not appreciate the drop. Universal Music Group, aka UMG, issued a copyright strike against the rapper on August 9. They ensured that the three new songs Drake put out were taken down. They are no longer available to stream on the rapper’s official website.

The copyright strike was actually confirmed by Drake himself. The rapper took to his recently revealed Finsta account, @plottttwistttttt, to share the notification he received from UMG. The screenshot stated that access to the content had been restricted due to reports from a third party. The third party, being, of course, Drizzy’s label. It’s currently unknown which new song triggered the copyright strike on the part of UMG. The only song that’s gained traction, “It’s Up,” has done so due to 21 Savage’s combative verse.

Read More: Drake Reposts A Tweet Ruthlessly Clowning J Cole On His Finsta Account

Drake Signed A Massive Deal With UMG In 2021

Drizzy’s relationship with UMG has been a topic of speculation in recent years. The rapper reportedly signed a “LeBron-Sized” deal with the label back in 2021. Variety reported that the deal incorporated every facet of Drake’s business: recordings, publishing and merchandise. Neither UMG nor Drake has divulged the specific dollar amount that was agreed upon. The latter, however, did allude to owning his own masters on the 2021 song “The Remorse.” Drake has not spoken publicly about his interactions with UMG, but it was widely theorized that the label got involved in the recent battle involving Kendrick Lamar.

TMZ claimed that UMG was putting a halt to the Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef in May. A supposed leak stated that the label was concerned about the impact the beef would have on the rapper’s sales. “Drake is losing the beef in UMG’s eyes,” the document read. “So from UMG’s perspective, the sooner than this beef ends the better.” Despite gaining some traction online, UMG quickly shut down the rumor. The reps for the label asserted that they had no involvement in the battle. “Kendrick and Drake’s beef is between them,” their statement noted. “UMG just doesn’t think it’s their place to step in either way.”

Read More: Drake Flooded The Internet With New Material And Fans Are Overwhelmed

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Diddy Accuser Lil Rod Drops High Profile Music Exec Names From Sexual Assault Lawsuit

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Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, the producer who named several people and companies in his initial sexual assault lawsuit against music mogul Sean “DIddy” Combs a few months ago, has reportedly removed several high-profile defendants from his lawsuit against the head Bad Boy.

The original lawsuit listed Universal Music Group and its chairman Sir Lucian Grainge as defendants because they had “aided and abetted” Puffy in his alleged sexual abuse. Jones has now taken those names off of the suit, as well as that of Motown Recordings and those names that have now been removed cannot be refiled.

Attorney for Lil Rod, Tyrone Blackburn, said in a sworn statement filed in court, “Based on my examination of all of the papers submitted in support of both motions to dismiss, which addressed the issues I had, I have concluded that there is no legal basis for the claims and allegations that were made against the UMG Defendants.” He added, “As such, I have determined that the proper course of action is for all of the claims and all of the allegations to be withdrawn immediately.”

Grainge, UMG and Motown had already tried to get Jones’ suit against them dismissed, stating, “All of the claims against Grainge, Motown and UMG Recordings (the ‘UMG Defendants’) in the [second amended complaint] are lacking in any legally cognizable basis.”

The post Diddy Accuser Lil Rod Drops High Profile Music Exec Names From Sexual Assault Lawsuit first appeared on The Source.

The post Diddy Accuser Lil Rod Drops High Profile Music Exec Names From Sexual Assault Lawsuit appeared first on The Source.

TikTok & Universal Music Group Strike Agreement In Royalty Dispute: What We Know

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After months of negotiations, Universal Music Group (UMG) and TikTok have announced a breakthrough licensing agreement. As music technology continues to progress, this marks a significant moment in the music industry. This multi-dimensional agreement promises to benefit UMG’s extensive roster of artists, songwriters, and labels. Moreover, this also reinstates their music catalog on TikTok’s expansive platform.

Read More: Joe Biden Signs “TikTok Ban” Bill Into Law: Details

Strategic Collaboration For Mutual Benefit

The strategic collaboration aims to enhance the creative and commercial prospects of UMG’s roster. Both parties have expressed a shared commitment to leveraging TikTok’s advanced technology. Through the platform, UMG plans to enhance its marketing prowess to deliver improved remuneration for creators. As a result, they plan to enhance engagement opportunities for their music.

Fans on TikTok can anticipate the return of UMG’s extensive recorded music and publishing catalogs soon. The platform now offers them access to diverse musical content from renowned artists and songwriters. Additionally, fans can explore music from promising emerging talent. This development intends to reignite creativity among TikTok users, enabling them to create videos set to the backdrop of their favorite tracks.

Exploring New Monetization Opportunities + Online Safety Protection

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In this photo illustration, Universal Music Group (UMG) logo is seen on a smartphone and pc screen. (Photo Illustration by Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

As part of the agreement, UMG and TikTok will collaborate to explore new avenues for monetization. As issues regarding royalties became prominent, UMG and TikTok’s partnership leverages the social media platform’s e-commerce capabilities. Additionally, joint campaigns supporting UMG’s artists across various genres and territories are on the agenda. This indicates a concerted effort to maximize the commercial potential of UMG’s music catalog on the platform.

TikTok has committed to investing significant resources in developing artist-centric tools aimed at empowering UMG’s artists to thrive on the platform. These tools include features like “Add to Music App,” enhanced data analytics, and integrated ticketing capabilities, all designed to enhance artists’ financial prospects and expand their global fan base. Moreover, this new deal prioritizes stringent online safety protections for artists and their fans, ensuring a secure and enjoyable experience for all users.

An essential aspect of the agreement involves collaboration on responsible AI development within the music industry. Both UMG and TikTok have pledged to ensure that AI tools are developed ethically, safeguarding human creativity and the economic interests of artists and songwriters. They promised to implement measures to remove unauthorized AI-generated music from the platform, while also improving artist and songwriter attribution to uphold their rights and recognition.

Read More: Too Short Speaks On TikTok Music And Embracing The New Age Sound

Expeditious Implementation

UMG and TikTok are working swiftly to implement the terms of the agreement, with plans to reintroduce music by UMG’s artists and songwriters to TikTok in the near future. This proactive approach reflects the commitment of both parties to restoring normalcy and fostering a mutually beneficial partnership.

In conclusion, the resolution of the royalty dispute between UMG and TikTok heralds a new era of collaboration in the music industry, characterized by mutual respect, innovation, and commercial opportunity. As we witness the digital landscape’s evolution, partnerships like this are vital in ensuring the continued success and sustainability of the music ecosystem.

[Via]

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TikTokers, Rejoice: UMG Artists’ Catalogs Are Returning To The Platform Under A New Licensing Agreement

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TikTok’s future in the United States still hangs in the balance, but there is some positive TikTok-related news. (Unfortunately, it is not that Soulja Boy bought TikTok — not yet, at least.)

On Thursday morning, May 2, Universal Music Group and TikTok shared a joint press release confirming “a new multi-dimensional licensing agreement that will deliver significant industry-leading benefits for UMG’s global family of artists, songwriters, and labels and will return their music to TikTok’s billion-plus global community.”

All UMG artists’ catalogs were removed from TikTok on February 1 and remained absent from the platform, save for Taylor Swift ahead of the release of her The Tortured Poets Department album last month.

The joint agreement marks a new era of strategic collaboration between the two organizations, built on a shared commitment to help UMG’s artists and songwriters achieve their creative and commercial potential,” the press release outlines. “By harnessing TikTok’s best-in-class technology, marketing and promotional capabilities, UMG and TikTok will deliver improved remuneration for UMG’s songwriters and artists, new promotional and engagement opportunities for their recordings and songs and industry-leading protections with respect to generative AI.”

The press release additionally emphasizes a commitment to “new monetization opportunities utilizing TikTok’s growing e-commerce capabilities,” “artist-centric tools,” and “to protect human artistry.”

UMG Boss Lucian Grainge Wants Court To Dismiss Him From Lil Rod’s Diddy Lawsuit

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The lawsuit against Diddy from Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, the producer accusing him of sexual assault and sex trafficking, doesn’t just include allegations against the Bad Boy mogul. Moreover, two big record companies appeared as defendants in this suit due to alleged liability reasons: Motown and Universal Music Group (UMG), plus a notable individual. This is the head of the latter organization, Sir Lucian Grainge, who reportedly requested the court via his legal team (which is also acting on behalf of these companies) for dismissal from the case altogether. Attorneys for all three parties, referred to as “the UMG Defendants,” reportedly filed a motion for this dismissal on Wednesday (April 24) and asked a New York judge to throw out all claims concerning them with prejudice, according to court documents reportedly obtained by journalist Meghann Cuniff.

“All of the claims against Grainge, Motown and UMG Recordings (the ‘UMG Defendants’) in the [second amended complaint] are lacking in any legally cognizable basis,” lawyers supposedly argued in court docs concerning the Diddy case. “Every claim [premises] on the untenable strict liability theory that when one enters into a commercial contract, the payor under that contract becomes liable for anything that the recipient of payment does with the payment.

Read More: 50 Cent Endorses Gucci Mane’s Diddy Diss: “That’s What You Get!”

Diddy At Invest Fest 2023

Diddy Lawsuit Rodney Jones Lucian Grainge UMG Dismiss Hip Hop News
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – AUGUST 26: Sean “Diddy” Combs attends Day 1 of 2023 Invest Fest at Georgia World Congress Center on August 26, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

“There is no law underpinning such theory and the baseless ‘general business partnership’ allegation in the [second amended complaint] provides no support,” the legal team reportedly continued in their argument in dismissal from the Diddy case. “The claims against the UMG Defendants are entirely bereft of legal merit and should be dismissed with prejudice.” Lil Rod’s lawsuit claims that Lucian Grainge helped Sean Combs engage in his crimes, which Grainge’s attorneys allegedly denied outright. “Plaintiff and his counsel (Blackburn) have blown up a $50,000 claim for underpayment for production services into criminal accusations against Sean Combs and his associates,” they reportedly expressed.

“Not content to pursue Combs alone, without any factual or legal basis, Plaintiff and his counsel (Blackburn) have also improperly accused Grainge, UMG Recordings and Motown (collectively, the UMG Defendants) of furthering, participating in, and helping to conceal the alleged conduct of Combs and his associates based on a knowingly false ‘general business partnership’ allegation coupled with the fabrication of a non-existent duty to supervise and control how Combs spent his own money,” they concluded. Regardless, for more news and the latest updates on the Diddy case, log back into HNHH.

Read More: Kanye West Poses With Lucian Grainge In Resurfaced Pic Amid His “Rich Baby Daddy” Drake Criticism

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Kanye West Roasts Drake’s UMG Label Deal On Alleged “Like That” Remix Leak

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If you thought that Kanye West was going to sit idly by as the mainstream rap world goes up in flames… you may or may not be mistaken. It’s still a tough and unconfirmed call, but thanks to Adam22 and a whole lot of leaks through social media pages, it seems like Ye’s got a remix to “Like That” by Metro Boomin, Future, and Kendrick Lamar, plus some Ty Dolla $ign vocals, too. “Like That” is the song that fully blew the lid off a civil war between this trio (now alleged quintet including Rick Ross, plus many other supposed players like The Weeknd and A$AP Rocky) against Drake and… DJ Akademiks, we suppose? It really is looking like a 20v1 right now, something that Drizzy’s been able to turn in his favor.

Moreover, this alleged “Like That” remix (which Adam22 incited rumors of even further just yesterday) includes a supposed Ye verse, apparently a new Future verse, and seemingly no appearance from Kendrick Lamar, which is a very interesting omission. But that’s for another time. Here’s what the Chicago artist allegedly had to say about Drake and J. Cole, who caught a stray despite his retreat earlier in April: “Y’all so out of sight, out of mind / I can’t even think of a Drake line / Play J. Cole, get the p***y dry.” The “leaked” remix also had this set of bars, which seems to be the most interesting point of discussion for fans right now: “Where’s Lucian? Serve your master, n***a / Caught a little bag for your masters, didn’t ya? / Lifetime deal, I feel bad for n***as.”

Read More: DJ Akademiks Thinks Drake’s New Kendrick Lamar Diss (Almost) Seals The Deal

Kanye West Takes Aim At Drake’s $400 Million UMG Deal On Supposed “Like That” Verse: Listen

Furthermore, for those unaware, Drake signed a deal with UMG (Universal Music Group, the biggest music company in the world whose CEO is Sir Lucian Grainge) with a reported $400 million value. Ye, who is no stranger to an elusive billionaire status due to his controversies, allegedly called this a “little bag” and, if this is real, seems to be clowning him for being a puppet of UMG during the VULTURES 1 artist’s current independent stretch. It’s also worth noting that Rick Ross, one of the Toronto superstar’s opponents right now, called cap on theories that this massive deal gets the OVO mogul kickback from all of his rivals’ publishing if they’re signed to UMG or to Gamma. Since that’s just as speculative as these new claims, we doubt that we’ll ever get a clear answer on any of this money talk.

Ye’s Alleged Verse & Beat Remix In CDQ

Of course, given just how relentless The Boy has been with his clap-backs at everyone who doesn’t trust him anymore, we’re sure that his former inspiration and on-and-off-again nemesis will catch some heat very soon. This is also very interesting because of the “PROBLEMATIC” MC’s previous stance on this beef, claiming that he washed both Mr. Morale and the Certified Lover Boy in the past. If this leaked “Like That” remix is actually real, then something caused a change of heart. Still, everyone’s waiting on what the Compton creative will do more than anything. For the latest news and more updates on this alleged Kanye West leak and this whole battle, come back to HNHH.

Read More: Kanye West Battery Assault: Ye Allegedly Hit The Wrong Twin After Sexual Assault Accusation

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Diddy Allegations: UMG Wants Out Of Sexual Assault Lawsuit

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In November of last year, Diddy was hit with yet another lawsuit for alleged sexual assault, this time from a woman named Liza Gardner. Gardner claims she met the Bad Boy Records founder and Aaron Hall at an event in the 90s. At the time, she says she was only 16 years old. She alleges that the duo began buying her drinks before inviting her back to Hall’s apartment. Upon arrival, she alleges that they sexually assaulted her and her friend, also pressuring them to drink more alcohol. Days later, she accuses Diddy of showing up at her house, “assaulting and choking” her.

Diddy, Hall, and Universal Music Group are listed as defendants in the suit, but now, UMG wants out. The music corporation filed a motion to dismiss in a New York court on Thursday (April 11), arguing that Gardner failed to provide sufficient evidence linking UMG to the alleged rape. According to them, the incident had “nothing to do with UMGR.”

Read More: Ryan Garcia Sends Haymakers At Kanye West For Allegedly Refusing To Walk Him Out Over “No Diddy” Tweet

UMG Claims Liza Gardner’s Alleged Rape Had “Nothing To Do” With Them

Diddy Allegations: UMG Wants Out Of Sexual Assault Lawsuit
(Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Essence)

“The Complaint’s allegations, if true, are certainly disturbing,” the motion reads, also claiming that Gardner has no “factual support connecting UMGR to the alleged assaults.” UMG additionally argues that her lawsuit should have been filed under the Child Victims Act (CVA) instead of the Adult Survivors Act (ASA), as she claims to have been 16 at the time of the incident.

“Plaintiff makes no allegation supporting vicarious liability for battery or assault (nor could she),” the motion continues. “Plaintiff’s NIED claim also fails because she has not alleged any duty owed to her by UMGR, and nowhere in Plaintiff’s Complaint does she allege that UMGR’s conduct was extreme and outrageous, as she is required to do as a matter of legal sufficiency.” What do you think of Universal Music Group asking to be dismissed from Liza Gardner’s lawsuit against Diddy? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

Read More: Lil Rod Claims He’s Got Diddy On Tape Admitting To Crimes

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UMG Rebuffed Lil Rod’s Diddy Lawsuit In A Fiery Response Calling His Claims ‘A Delusion Or A Lie’

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Universal Music Group would have had enough legal drama to deal with from its row with TikTok over streaming royalties. Unfortunately for Sir Lucian Grainge (CEO of UMG), the company now finds itself drawn into the legal ruckus between Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones and Sean “Diddy” Combs.

In Jones’ controversial sexual harassment suit against Combs, he’s alleged that the music mogul’s supposed transgressions have involved a number of celebrities and fellow recording industry higher-ups, including Grainge, Usher, Yung Miami, and even the UK’s Prince Harry. However, in a new court filing UMG blasted Jones and his accusations as its lawyers argued for UMG to be dismissed from the ongoing suit. In addition, UMG wants legal penalties levied against attorney Tyrone Blackburn, who filed Jones’ lawsuit.

In the new filing, which was shared on Twitter by legal affairs journalist Meghann Cuniff and reported by Billboard, Universal’s attorney Donald Zakarin writes:

“A license to practice law is a privilege. Mr. Blackburn, plaintiff’s lawyer, has misused that license to self-promote, gratuitously, falsely and recklessly accusing the UMG defendants of criminal behavior… The [complaint] hurls accusations of criminal racketeering and criminal sex trafficking against the UMG defendants, respected individuals and companies having utterly nothing to do with plaintiff’s claims. These accusations are recklessly false and, but for the fact that they are embodied in a complaint, would be libelous.

…I have never seen any lawyer, in any pleading, in any court, accuse people and companies of criminal conduct without the slightest basis and then try to file an amended pleading completely jettisoning every allegation underpinning the original claims and substituting completely different and irreconcilable allegations to support the very same claims.”

The response refutes claims that Grainge has ever been to one of Diddy’s supposed “freak parties,” and points out that the only UMG entity with dealings with Combs was Motown, to distribute one album, The Love Album: Off The Grid. You can see the filing in part below:

Why Does TikTok Still Have Ariana Grande and Other Universal Music Artists Even Though There’s a Standoff With the Label?

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If you or your kids use TikTok, don’t feel bad because pretty much every social media user does; then you may have noticed a lack of certain music from your favorite artists on the platform. There’s a standoff regarding royalty payments and AI policies. Variety reports that it has “resulted in a near-complete blackout of all music owned, distributed, and published by the company on the platform.” Now get this: the videos are still on and popping on the platform, but the actual music is being muted – yikes.

Now it gets murky because new songs from UMG artists, like stars Ariana Grande, Camila Cabello, and Niall Horan, can still be discovered on TikTok as of yesterday, but what is the reason is the real question? Variety didn’t have any comment from reps at UMG and TikTok, who both declined.

So, if you don’t know how the whole music on TikTok thing works, it goes like this, as Variety reports: Rights-holders, such as record labels, are not the only way music can be uploaded onto TikTok. Pretty much anyone uploads music and displays it as “original sound” on a user’s post. Then, said sound can be used by virtually anyone on TikTok, including artists. Once that music is on the platform, the rights-holders lose control over the content, and all they can do is send off takedown notices and other notifications via legal means. So it falls on TikTok to follow through by detecting, policing and muting the unauthorized music floating around on its platform. Are you exhausted from that rundown? We are. 

Even though reps from the label declined to comment to Variety, UMG spoke on the situation broadly. They’re, in essence, directing fault to TikTok’s detection software. They dropped a letter to artists breaking down the ban. “TikTok makes little effort to deal with the vast amounts of content on its platform that infringe our artists’ music and it has offered no meaningful solutions to the rising tide of content adjacency issues, let alone the tidal wave of hate speech, bigotry, bullying and harassment on the platform,” from an excerpt of the letter. “The only means available to seek the removal of infringing or problematic content (such as pornographic deepfakes of artists) is through the monumentally cumbersome and inefficient process which equates to the digital equivalent of ‘Whack-a-Mole.’ … We will always fight for our artists and songwriters and stand up for the creative and commercial value of music.” It seems like this is not going to end soon.

The post Why Does TikTok Still Have Ariana Grande and Other Universal Music Artists Even Though There’s a Standoff With the Label? first appeared on The Source.

The post Why Does TikTok Still Have Ariana Grande and Other Universal Music Artists Even Though There’s a Standoff With the Label? appeared first on The Source.