Kanye West And Ludacris Win Copyright Case

06/02/06 5:30pm

by Scott Bryson (CHARTattack)

Rappers Kanye West and Ludacris were victorious in a copyright infringement case on Thursday in a Manhattan courtroom after a jury concluded that their 2003 hit "Stand Up" didn't copy a song by New Jersey group I.O.F.

MS Entertainment/Heat Music, I.O.F. and Cobble One Records owner Jeff Billingsley claimed that West and Ludacris took lyrics from the I.O.F. song, "Straight Like That." The dispute revolved around the phrase "like that," which is repeated in each track more than 80 times. The West/Ludacris song precedes it with "just," while the I.O.F number uses "straight."

"I hope the plaintiffs enjoyed their 15 minutes of fame," said Ludacris after the verdict was announced, according to the Associated Press. "This whole experience is proof to me of why I will always fight for what I believe in."

"Straight Like That" made it as far as college radio after it was released in September 2001. West and Ludacris claimed that they had no knowledge of its existence until they were sued.

Ludacris never doubted that the verdict would come back in his favour.

"The only thoughts and ideas I borrow from are those of my own," he said.

Outside the courthouse, Ludacris signed autographs and posed for pictures before leaving for Los Angeles to promote a documentary he narrated about a female basketball team in Seattle.

Following the two-week trial, jurors returned the verdict after less than a day of deliberations. Billingsley said that the decision will be appealed.

The plaintiffs claim that their case was damaged when the judge excluded their music expert from testifying as part of sanctions taken against a lawyer who was dismissed from the case before the trial. Mel Sachs, the lawyer who argued the case, says this issue will provide for a stronger appeal.

West wasn't on hand to enjoy his victory. When he testified at the trial last week, he said he had sympathy for I.O.F.

"It's like that glimmer of hope. You're this close. I've been in those shoes. It's hard to make it in this game. I understand why they would sue."

Ludacris, on the other hand, wasn't as kind to the New Jersey group.

"I feel no sympathy, not at all," he said.