From The Hollywood Reporter:
When New Zealand’s National Party used in a television ad campaign a song that sounded much like Eminem’s 2002 hit “Lose Yourself,” it got sued. Earlier this year, a High Court in New Zealand held a two-week trial where Eminem’s music publisher aimed to demonstrate the political party’s ad campaign amounted to a copyright infringement. The outcome is still in limbo, but in the meantime, two companies are now engaged in a separate fight over responsibility for the hefty legal costs associated with what happened.
Beatbox Music Pty is suing Labrador Entertainment, doing business as Spider Cues Music Library.
Spider Cues, according to its website, has licensed musical cues for a wide range of television shows, commercials feature films including The Incredible Hulk, Cinderella Man, The Bourne Supremacy and more.
According to the complaint, Beatbox became a sub-publisher for its licensed territory pursuant to a 2009 agreement. The defendants allegedly represented and warranted that all musical compositions provided were “exclusive and original work.”
. . . .
“Labrador failed to direct Beatbox to remove any music tracks found in the existing Music Library (which had already been circulated to clients) which, on information and belief, Labrador knew or had reason to know that such tracks allegedly potentially infringed the rights of third parties,” states the complaint.
Apparently, one of the tracks was titled “Eminem esque,” which was then used by the National Party in its ad campaign.
Link to the rest at The Hollywood Reporter
PG says don’t infringe one of Eminem’s copyrights.
Even in New Zealand.
He has lawyers and he’s not afraid to use them.
D***. Both Eminem and I have gotten old if a political party is using his music (or even something similar) for a campaign.