Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Filed Against Rapper Megan Thee Stallion, Warner Music Group and Others Over Her Hit Song Wild has been dismissed by a New York federal court.
The case, brought by the hip-hop producer James Greenclaimed that Wild lifted elements from his 1999 instrumental track It is ready to continue.
Greene claimed to have sent CDs containing his music to industry figures in the early 2000s, including a mentor Wild producer J. White did it.
However, US District Judge Katherine Polk Failla granted the motion of Megan Thee Stallion and other defendants to dismiss the case in its entirety, law firm Pryor Cashmanrepresenting the defendants, said in a press release last week (June 18).
The judge ruled that Green failed to provide sufficient evidence that the defendants had access to Green’s work.
“Judge Failla heard the works at issue and, after her review, found that the Plaintiff cannot show that his work was similar to Savage [the substantial similarity or striking similarity] standard, thereby providing an independent ground for dismissal’.
Pryor Cashman
Even if Greene had restored access, the judge found insufficient similarity between the two songs, the law firm said.
“Judge Failla heard the works at issue and, after her review, found that the Plaintiff cannot show that his work was similar to Savage [the substantial similarity or striking similarity] standard, thereby providing an independent ground for dismissal’. He concluded that “any appeal” from her dismissal “would not be made in good faith,” Pryor Cashman said.
Digital Music News stated, citing the judge’s ruling, that while both tracks share a similar time signature and rhythmic sequence, these elements are not copyrightable. Additionally, the use of “siren sounds and piano instruments”, while present in both songs, was deemed “qualitatively distinct” by the court.
“Despite this brief and unprotected structural similarity,” Judge Failla wrote, “the substance of the two drum patterns is qualitatively different and would prevent a casual listener from finding substantial similarity.”
The dismissal of the case comes amid a wave of similar music copyright lawsuits filed against artists in recent months. Earlier this month, Latin music artist Fed hit with a lawsuit for allegedly violating the 2022 strike Ferxxo 100 and two other songs.
Meanwhile, a case was filed for copyright infringement Ed Sheeran over his hit track Thinking power continues in New York as the plaintiff in one of the two cases over the song appeals an earlier ruling.
Earlier this year, a New York court dismissed a copyright lawsuit filed by a singer-songwriter Greg About against Roddy Rich over the 2019 megahit The box after a jury could find no substantial similarities between this song and Perry’s 1975 R&B track Come down.
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