Flo Milli Copyright Lawsuit: Never Lose Me
- Rapper Flo Milli (Tamia Monique Carter) is the target of a copyright lawsuit filed Friday over her popular 2023 track, "Never Lose Me." The suit claims the song...
- The legal action also names Detroit rappers Babyface Ray (Marcellus Rayvon Register) adn 42 Dugg (Dion Marquise Hayes) concerning their 2023 song "Ron Artest," which "Never Lose Me"...
- Shamar Deal, a songwriter and recording artist from Baltimore, Md., alleges that both "Never Lose Me" and "Ron artest" infringe upon his exclusive license for a beat titled...
Flo Milli, the artist behind the hit “Never lose Me,” finds herself at the center of a copyright lawsuit. A Baltimore-based artist alleges the song illegally sampled a beat he licensed, seeking substantial damages. The legal battle, involving primary_keyword copyright infringement and secondary_keyword sampling practices, names Babyface Ray, 42 Dugg, and others as defendants, wiht claims of a minimum $1 million sought. The case also involves EMPIRE and Sony Music Entertainment due to their distribution responsibilities. News Directory 3 brings you detailed coverage of this high-profile music industry dispute, including the song’s impressive chart performance. This legal drama examines complex claims around licensing agreements and the creative process. Explore the intricacies of music rights and the potential repercussions for artists. Delve deeper into copyright law and how this lawsuit could change the rules. Discover what’s next in this unfolding story.
Flo Milli Hit ”Never Lose Me” Sparks Copyright Lawsuit
Rapper Flo Milli (Tamia Monique Carter) is the target of a copyright lawsuit filed Friday over her popular 2023 track, “Never Lose Me.” The suit claims the song illegally sampled a beat previously licensed to a Baltimore-based artist.
The legal action also names Detroit rappers Babyface Ray (Marcellus Rayvon Register) adn 42 Dugg (Dion Marquise Hayes) concerning their 2023 song “Ron Artest,” which “Never Lose Me” sampled. The song “Never Lose Me” reached No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Shamar Deal, a songwriter and recording artist from Baltimore, Md., alleges that both “Never Lose Me” and “Ron artest” infringe upon his exclusive license for a beat titled ”Youu,” produced by Gerreaux Katana.
Deal claims he purchased an exclusive 10-year license for “Youu” from katana in 2019 via traktrain, a rap instrumental marketplace. Though, katana allegedly violated this agreement in 2023 by re-licensing “Youu” to Babyface Ray and 42 Dugg, who then used it for ”Ron Artest.” Deal asserts that Flo Milli then sampled “Ron Artest” for “Never Lose Me,” compounding the alleged copyright infringement.
According to attorney Larry Zerner, representing Deal, the use of the composition in “Ron Artest” and “Never Lose Me” constitutes a copyright infringement of Deal’s exclusive rights. Zerner said Deal is pursuing the lawsuit to recover damages for the copyright violation.
Deal is seeking a minimum of $1 million in damages from Flo Milli, Babyface Ray, 42 Dugg, and Katana. The lawsuit also lists EMPIRE and Sony Music Entertainment as defendants,citing their distribution roles for both songs.
“Never Lose Me” achieved significant chart success in 2023 and 2024, reaching No.2 on Billboard’s Rhythmic Airplay chart, No. 5 on Hot Rap Songs, No. 6 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and No. 7 on Streaming Songs.
Data from Luminate indicates the track has garnered 947.5 million official on-demand streams globally, with 531.3 million originating in the United States.
What’s next
The case will proceed through the courts, and the defendants will likely file responses to the allegations. The music industry will be watching closely, as the outcome could set precedents regarding copyright and sampling practices.