West Coast Connection Forum
DUBCC - Tha Connection => West Coast Classics => Topic started by: XL Middleton on May 02, 2004, 04:12:48 PM
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What up famm,
So here's the deal - basically my rap name "Extra Large" is an infringement on a trademark held by DJ Extra Large, some cat that maybe a few of yall might have heard of, if you have you probably know he's worked with a few dudes but whatever. Last week I received a cease-and-decist letter from his lawyer (that's right his lawyer!!!) ordering me to stop using the name because I was infringing on his trademark and they could bring legal action if I didn't stop. My first thought was, this is hip hop and in hip hop, whoever blows first with the name should be the one who can lay claim to it, running to a lawyer is like snitching to the police as far as something like this is concerned. I'm mainly pissed because he sent me a vague and threatening e-mail telling me "the name needs to change or there's gonna be problems", to which I responded cool and asked why we couldnt both have the name, he's DJ Extra Large I'm just Extra Large. I never got a response, not until his lawyer stepped in, what a bitch move. Not only that but his lawyer tried to say I couldn't shorten it to just "XL" which I know is bullshit because there's a Chino XL out there so why not sue him? I'm just like, okay I cant really do shit because I dont have the money to afford a lawyer at this point, so as of today I'm changing my name to XL MIDDLETON. Of course yall can feel free to call me XL or Extra Large if yall want just like people still said Biggie Smalls even after he had to change it to B.I.G. I just dont get it, we supposed to be bringing the West back and unifying is obviously the only way we can do that, but how when everytime you try to do something positive like putting out dope music somebody gotta turn around and try to bring you down? Fuck that prepare for my response song coming this week "Call Johnnie Cochran" and also the remix by Big Saccs cuz the big homie Saccs aint feeling this whole situation neither.
Holla back
XL Middleton fka Extra Large
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That shit sucks man, but you are right about the unifying stuff.
I saw u speaking real on Saccs forum about the west
Props to the homie Saccs.
Peace
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Too much legal bullshit in Hip Hop. :-\
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What up famm,
So here's the deal - basically my rap name "Extra Large" is an infringement on a trademark held by DJ Extra Large, some cat that maybe a few of yall might have heard of, if you have you probably know he's worked with a few dudes but whatever. Last week I received a cease-and-decist letter from his lawyer (that's right his lawyer!!!) ordering me to stop using the name because I was infringing on his trademark and they could bring legal action if I didn't stop. My first thought was, this is hip hop and in hip hop, whoever blows first with the name should be the one who can lay claim to it, running to a lawyer is like snitching to the police as far as something like this is concerned. I'm mainly pissed because he sent me a vague and threatening e-mail telling me "the name needs to change or there's gonna be problems", to which I responded cool and asked why we couldnt both have the name, he's DJ Extra Large I'm just Extra Large. I never got a response, not until his lawyer stepped in, what a bitch move. Not only that but his lawyer tried to say I couldn't shorten it to just "XL" which I know is bullshit because there's a Chino XL out there so why not sue him? I'm just like, okay I cant really do shit because I dont have the money to afford a lawyer at this point, so as of today I'm changing my name to XL MIDDLETON. Of course yall can feel free to call me XL or Extra Large if yall want just like people still said Biggie Smalls even after he had to change it to B.I.G. I just dont get it, we supposed to be bringing the West back and unifying is obviously the only way we can do that, but how when everytime you try to do something positive like putting out dope music somebody gotta turn around and try to bring you down? Fuck that prepare for my response song coming this week "Call Johnnie Cochran" and also the remix by Big Saccs cuz the big homie Saccs aint feeling this whole situation neither.
Holla back
XL Middleton fka Extra Large
If this aint the stupdiest shit ever i dont know what is....
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Man if I were you I wouldn't do shit. don't hire a lawyer and don't change your name. Honestly, I highly doubt any lawyer is gonna take you to court. If they do, just defend yourself. but I doubt its worth their trouble. he is just trying to scare you.
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Man if I were you I wouldn't do shit. don't hire a lawyer and don't change your name. Honestly, I highly doubt any lawyer is gonna take you to court. If they do, just defend yourself. but I doubt its worth their trouble. he is just trying to scare you.
I agree. Stick up for ya rights XL. You're dope and have a lot of supporters so fuck it. You don't see Young Buck suing Young Buc, or Ras Kass suin' Clipse for usin' the Re-Up Ent. thing long after Rass started it. And what Clipse did is worse! Good luck to you though.
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Bitch move.
I've never heard of this dude. You're the only XL in my book...
I'd call some lawyers and see what they say about the whole situation. It can't hurt to get some advice. Since I'm a student, my university offers free legal services, if you've got a friend who's going to college, I'd check and see if his/her university offers the same type of shit and take advantage of it...
Good luck and keep us posted!
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It comes down to, you're fucked. Whether you agree with it or not, he's got the name trademarked, so if you blow with that name, he's going to say you're making money off his trademark, and sue you for everything you make. Simple as that, you gotta change the name.
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It comes down to, you're fucked. Whether you agree with it or not, he's got the name trademarked, so if you blow with that name, he's going to say you're making money off his trademark, and sue you for everything you make. Simple as that, you gotta change the name.
Either way I can't call it...I'm working on getting some legal advice but at this point youre right, he got the trademark so what can I do? That's another thing I never thought about, why sue me now when I aint making much, why not just wait and see if I get bigger. Damn homie...
All good the song "Call Johnnie Cochran" is coming this week for yall to peep out...
And to everyone, thanks 4 the support it's always appreciated!
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why dont u jus spell extra large different. kinda like young buck and young bucc?
peace
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Xtra Large
4xtra Large
Extra Lar3e
Exxtra Large
Xxtra Large
Ekstra Large
There's many opportunities.. lol
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Extra Medium!
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Jome's got a good point. You can always change the spelling. That way it won't be biting his trademark, but you'll still be called "extra large". That should make dude mad. The fuck is DJ Extra Large anyways?
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Extra Medium!
lol..on the reals though, thats some bullshit...muthafuckers always be trippin on some stupid shit...oh well thats life.
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Bitch move.
changing the spelling would really piss him off...
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Bitch move.
changing the spelling would really piss him off...
who cares. who the fuck is dj extra large anywayz. its not like he's famous and XL is trying to get some attention by using his name.
peace
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shame XXL is taken too! :'(
Exxtra Large is kinda cool though..
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u gotta crawl be4 u walk homie...
pretty cakeish tho...but u betta be glad u got this..and instead of later on down the line...u doin shit..and he sued u 4 ya name and all the shit u did under that name..
how yall not gone know who dj extra large is...hell he was spice 1's dj from 1989 til probrably now...i think he's a preacher now..or sumthin..hell he might prolly be dead..and his family prolly did that..
neway its prolly means sumthin to him..sentimental value...aint no need to get all shitty booty over a name..
instead of dissin him like a hoe....u need to tell his lawyer yall need to meet up and see if yall can come up with sumthin..and see if yall can come to some kind of...way 4 yall can both use it with no harm...hell dr.dre prolly sat down with doctor dre and came up with sumthin...how u gone unify the west..and u finna diss this man 4 a name..he had long be4 u was prolly born...and dont know why he will not let u use it.......
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i think he can still get u even if u do change the spelling.
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Smash Fa Yo Rashions homie..Cause that still was some hoe chyt
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Damn... thats fuct up... but X, if u change ur name they cant get you on shit. And two, I dont believe they can even get you on this case....so you may be able to hold the name EXTRA LARGE. Reason bieng is that the phrase EXTRA LARGE is too common a name for someone to copywrite, and hold exclusively for him/herself. If he copywrited XKSTRA LARGE, then its one thing, because the name is unique, and sole in its spelling. But Extra Large is the common, correct way to spell Extra Large. And you cant hold a sole license to that name. He holds a license to DJ EXTRA LARGE. He cant stop people from using "Extra Large" as a title, name, or any other form of representation...
Its like if this. I cant copywrite the word "LOVE," and expect to hold a sole license to it....and then forbid anyone else to use the word LOVE in a recording, or writing or anything...and the reason bieng is that it is too common a word, and not unique enough to grant a sole license to.
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^Yeah maybe or maybe he holds the copyright to DJ Extra Large which wouldnt be so stupid.
Anyway why doesnt he sue all the clothing companys who make T-Shirts with Extra Large written all over the front
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^Yeah maybe or maybe he holds the copyright to DJ Extra Large which wouldnt be so stupid.
Anyway why doesnt he sue all the clothing companys who make T-Shirts with Extra Large written all over the front
Right...and thats my point. You cant hold an exclusive copywrite towards any term, phrase, or name, thats so widely used, and is common... "Extra Large" would be impossible to copywrite exclusively.... They're just trying to scare you. Ey dog u should be happy cuz if u got a letter from a lawyer saying they want u to stop using that name, it means ur name is gettin big enough for them to want to harass u!!!
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I see that I'm trying to work some options with a limited budget for a lawyer ya know?
@ h.a.w.k. it's not about dissing somebody over a name it's about the way he went about it, first he sent me a e-mail saying "the name needs to change or there's gonna be problems", which I thought was vague and threatening...how can hope to negotiate when someone comes at you like that? Nevertheless I hit him back asking why we couldn't work something out, and letting him know I didn't bite the name from him so I meant no disrespect. However I didn't get a response back of any kind, not until his lawyer sent me that letter and on a human level that's just not a cool way to go about things, I was willing to work something out, even change my name if we could have just talked about it instead of resorting to vague threats and lawyers.
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And furthermore I'll say this much:
Aint gonna be no diss track, it's tempting on a hip hop level but I've changed my mind and decided not to, aint no telling what could happen beyond hip hop ya feel me? I've had a discussion with someone whose word I take very seriously and I thought it would be the best thing, if the West is gonna unify and recapture the shine we cant be dissing each other like it's a civil war out here or something!!! I know this seems like a sudden change of heart and it may be a bit disappointing to some of yall (cause everybody loves drama) but in the long run I've decided this is the best choice.
West-West!!!!
And dont forget it!!!
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i think he can still get u even if u do change the spelling.
I agree, trademark issues are all about if someone can 'mistake' your name, for his name. For instance... he's gonna say
I'm DJ Extra Large, and I'm well known, put out quality music. When people come in the store, they see a CD by "EXXTRA Large", and they think it's me! So they buy it, whereas they wouldn't if they didn't think it was me.
= You're making money off his name. You can't just misspell it and get away with it. If it's even slightly confusing, they'll get a good lawyer to come after you and win.
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^Yeah maybe or maybe he holds the copyright to DJ Extra Large which wouldnt be so stupid.
Anyway why doesnt he sue all the clothing companys who make T-Shirts with Extra Large written all over the front
That's not the same thing. Nobody's confusing a t-shirt with his music.
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here's another new name suggestion...
eXceL ;)
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You Should Really Ask for something in writing before you officially change your name.....chance's are he's some internet cat jealous of you, so he's scaring you into changing your name
Trust me, this kinda thing happened when i was runnin "HotBox Radio" 2 years ago, it was all a hoax and in the end, we found out that you Cannot copyright a radio show name
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here's another new name suggestion...
eXceL ;)
If you want Microsofts lawyers on your ass instead of DJ Extra Larges lawyers.. :D
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LOL yeah, I'd stay away from that one, I imagine you'd lose.
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Dude,that og D/J Xtra Large was on Spice 1's first commercial cd back in 90/91 and he's been known through out THE BAY.
How you are tryin' to garner sympathy when you know you guilty,partna?
Just pick a new name and move on.
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Stop whining
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here's another new name suggestion...
eXceL ;)
If you want Microsofts lawyers on your ass instead of DJ Extra Larges lawyers.. :D
lmao.. i dont think microsoft are into the rap game..plus its just a word
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Dude,that og D/J Xtra Large was on Spice 1's first commercial cd back in 90/91 and he's been known through out THE BAY.
How you are tryin' to garner sympathy when you know you guilty,partna?
Just pick a new name and move on.
Read my screen name youll see thats been done already...there's also a post on here where I basically said I aint trippin anyway that you obviously didnt read.