French Montana just snagged a major W in a long-winded copyright battle over his 2013 banger, Ain’t Worried About Nothin’. The drama kicked off when producer Eddie Lee Richardson, aka Hotwire The Producer, accused Montana of sneaking in a sample from his track, Hood Pushin’ Weight. This lawsuit grabbed headlines for its larger convo about who truly owns music and just how far artistic vibes can stretch.
On October 17, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, led by Judge Candace Jackson-Akiwumi, ruled in favor of Montana. They pointed out that the two tracks sound pretty similar, but just sounding alike isn’t enough to trigger copyright violations. “We agree with Richardson that HPW’s beat seems identical to AWAN’s in casual listening. Yet, vibes alone don’t cut it in court,” Judge Jackson-Akiwumi broke it down.
This ruling follows an earlier judgment from a lower court, highlighting how messy copyright law can get in the music biz. The judge even noted that imitation is sometimes “the sincerest form of flattery,” but that legal locks require way more than just a vibe check between the tracks.
Copyright Claims Fall Short While Montana Celebrates Engagement
A big deal in Richardson’s lawsuit was the kind of copyright he had. He registered a copyright on the sound recording, not the actual music composition. U.S. law says you need solid proof of direct copying or sampling for sound recording claims. Just looking similar doesn’t cut it. Judge Jackson-Akiwumi said it straight: “Richardson could’ve dropped either direct or circumstantial evidence to back his claim that Montana jacked HPW for AWAN. Instead, he brought nada.” The absence of proof spelled doom for the lawsuit.
While Richardson is left shaking his head, Montana’s life is on a glow-up. Rumor has it he’s now engaged to Sheikha Mahra, Princess of Dubai—major goals! With the legal mess behind him, Montana’s ready to juggle his creative grind with personal happiness. This dude’s showing us how to rise strong through all the chaos.
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