Author Topic: Publisher Sues Dr. Dre, Eve, & Mary J. Blige For Copyright Infringement (Read 272 times)

Darksider · « **on:** January 19, 2005, 07:04:30 AM »

got that from allhiphop.com forum

AP)--Madonna’s status as an international icon of fashion, film and music is undisputed, and her signature hit, "Holiday," took the world by storm in 1983 and eventually became a classic.

Twenty years later, singer Mary J. Blige came out with "Not Today," with rapper Eve and produced by Dr. Dre. The song was featured in "Barbershop 2." But now Mary J, Eve, Dre and others connected to the song are being sued by the people who own the "Holiday" copyright, who think "Not Today" sounds a little too similar to Madonna’s song.

In court documents, the publishing company claims "Not Today" contains several unequivocal points of duplication, including sections of the rhythm and much of the harmonic content. But are they singing the right tune?

Judith Finell, a New York musicologist and expert witness on copyright infringement who, in the past 20 years, has testified for the likes of Michael Jackson and Julio Iglesias, compared the two songs for "CJ." "It sounds similar enough to bear further consideration," she observed. "Both the pitches and the rhythms sound closely related. I don’t think they’re identical, because Madonna’s song is in what we call ‘major key’ and Mary J Blige's song is in a minor key."

If this ever does go to a jury and jurors decide "Not Today" sounds significantly like "Holiday," the plaintiffs could win at least $15 million.