“Finna Get Loose” performer and producing powerhouse Pharrell Williams has still been refusing to lose to the Gaye family in the ongoing copyright infringement fight over Robin Thicke and Williams’ use of the late Marvin Gaye’s “Got To Give it Up” [for their incessantly spinning, ever-popular, long-running hit song: “Got To Give it Up”].
Well as you know, we told yous Pharrell and Thicke were made liable for $7.4 million dollars in the suit by which they appealed.
At that time, the song’s two other “co-conspirators” had flown under the radar and remained unscathed: T.I (who rapped on the song and was paid somewhere around $700k for his rap portion of the song), and Universal-the label by which the song was distributed.
Billboard reports that although the Gaye family will be rewarded the majority of the $7.4, $2 million of it was pardoned and this is the judge’s final answer on all this:
The Gaye’s $7.4 million has been reduced to $5.4 million + get 50% of the song’s earnings going forward-thwarting their request to block sales and performances of the song (by which we highly doubt Robin and Pharrell would find any delight in performing on any stage any time soon after all this—unless they were completely victorious).
This is the whopper:
This new trial put the spotlight on T.I (and Universal records) who now, is being made liable for their creative contribution and credits to the song (to the extent of what amount-we have no idea).
U.S district judge Kronstadt (presiding over the case) does not want to hear any more about this situation and rejected motions for any new trials (despite the Gaye family lawyers reviewing the legality of the court’s decision to sanction part of the original awarded amount of $7.4 million down to $5.4 million).
As well, Pharrell and Robin Thicke’s attorney asserted the “fight is far from over.”
Sigh. At some point [pun intended], you’ve got to give it up.
What might this mean?
Not that this retrial necessarily dropped a dime on our guy T.I (unlike trial 1-we he was free and clear)…but it certainly put the spotlight on him this time, as he’s left holding the bag in that regard.
With the Gaye family being satisfied with the original $7.4 (now reduced to $5.4 that they are wishing to contest now), that could very well mean that both Rubber Band Man T.I and Universal just may have to make up that $2 million–to make the Gaye family happy and well… gay all over again.
“I’m so happy that the jurors didn’t let their stardom affect their judgment” (Nona Gaye at Trial 1)
https://youtu.be/U-DK0cew_Fc
This saga will continue…because somebody’s gotta make up that $2 million to get Nona Gaye back to the emotion of that video of results of trial 1.
And from the looks of things, that just might be $1 million from T.I and another $1 million from Universal.
We’ll keep you posted.
