Hip-hop legend Doug E. Fresh has reportedly teamed up with a publishing company to slap the producers of Empire with a multi-million dollar lawsuit for sampling his song without permission for a track produced by hitmaker Timbaland.
According to Rolling Out, Rasheed Rahan Wonder, CEO of Wonderboy Entertainment, songwriter Unique Mecca Hall and Fresh recently filed the suit claiming that during season two of Empire, the popular Fox series sampled Fresh’s classic 1993 tune “I-ight (Alright),” for a song called “No Doubt About It,” which Pitbull and Jussie Smollet performed on episode three. The song was also included on the Empire Soundtrack: Volume 1.
Since the release of “I-ight,” the song has become a popular chant (and slang term) and has been licensed for hundreds of projects, including on the Above the Rim soundtrack. Wonder is representing producer Hall in the lawsuit who is currently serving a life sentence plus 20 years in prison for a Continuing Criminal Enterprise Statute, better known as the Kingpin Statute. Hall is reportedly known to be the real Nino Brown of Harlem, N.Y.
Reps for Empire had no comment on the legal matter.
Read More: Doug E. Fresh Suing Producers of 'Empire' for Sampling His Song 'I-ight' |
Doug E. Fresh Suing Producers of 'Empire' for Sampling His Song 'I-ight'