The rapper is requesting the dismissal of a lawsuit claiming he used unlicensed samples on tracks from 'Utopia' and 'Astroworld', arguing that the phrase 'alright, alright, alright' cannot be copyrighted.
- Jun 6, 2024
AceShowbiz - Travis Scott (II) and Sony Music have filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit accusing them of illegally sampling the phrase "alright, alright, alright" from DJ Jimi's 1992 song "Bitches (Reply)." The lawsuit was initiated in February by Dion Norman and Derrick Ordogne, who claimed their song was used without authorization on Scott's tracks "Stargazing" and "Til Further Notice." However, Scott's lawyers argue that the phrase is not eligible for copyright protection.
In their motion, Scott's lawyers contend that "The Copyright Act does not protect 'stock' expressions," and that "the allegedly infringed phrase 'Alright, Alright, Alright' is too commonplace to be copyrightable." They cite numerous other songs that have featured the phrase, including "Revolution" by The Beatles and "Put It Down" by T-Pain.
Additionally, they argue that the repetition of a common word like "alright" in song lyrics is too "trite" and "cliched" to meet copyright law's originality requirement.
Furthermore, Scott's lawyers challenge the validity of Norman and Ordogne's copyright registration, claiming it was not obtained until two years after the release of "Stargazing". They also argue that the statute of limitations has expired for the claims related to "Stargazing".
An attorney for Norman and Ordogne has not yet responded to a request for comment. The plaintiffs have the opportunity to file a formal response to Scott's motion in the coming weeks.
