French Montana has emerged victorious in a lengthy legal battle surrounding allegations of copyright infringement involving his 2013 track “Ain’t Worried About Nothin’.” The lawsuit, initiated by producer Eddie Lee Richardson, known professionally as Hotwire The Producer, accused Montana of unlawfully sampling his instrumental piece “Hood Pushin’ Weight.” After six years of litigation, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled in favor of Montana on October 17, 2023.
Despite the court’s ruling, Judge Candace Jackson-Akiwumi acknowledged the striking similarities between the two tracks. She stated, “We agree with Richardson that HPW’s beat, to the naked ear, seems indistinguishable from the beat in AWAN.” However, she emphasized that mere opinions and unsubstantiated allegations do not suffice for a successful claim.
The core of Richardson’s case faltered due to a critical error in his copyright registration. He registered the sound recording rather than the musical composition, which is essential under U.S. copyright law. As the ruling explained, sound recordings are only infringed upon if directly copied or sampled, rather than simply imitated in a new work. This distinction ultimately led to Richardson’s loss, as he failed to present either direct or indirect evidence supporting his claim that Montana had duplicated his work.
Judge Jackson-Akiwumi noted, “Richardson could have presented either direct or indirect evidence to succeed in his claim that [Montana] duplicated HPW in producing AWAN. Richardson has presented neither.” This decision marks a significant moment in the copyright landscape, further clarifying the nuances of sampling and copyright registration.
While Richardson leaves the courtroom disappointed, Montana’s legal win comes at a fortuitous time in his personal life as well. Reports from TMZ revealed in late August that he is engaged to Sheikha Mahra, the Princess of Dubai. Details about their upcoming wedding remain undisclosed, but the couple has been rumored to be dating since last year.
Montana’s triumph in this case reinforces the complexities of copyright law and sets a precedent for future sampling disputes in the music industry. As artists navigate the fine line between inspiration and imitation, this ruling highlights the importance of proper copyright registration and the need for clear evidence in legal claims.
