Tag Archives: Trademark infringement

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Kobe Bryant Continues “Black Mamba” Trademark Fight, Accused Of Refusing To Answer Questions

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SiriusXM Presents A Town Hall With NBA Legend Kobe Bryant at the Mamba Sports Academy

Source: Vivien Killilea / Getty

Kobe Bryant has been known as the “Black Mamba” since his playing days with the Los Angeles Lakers. The future NBA Hall of Fame shoo-in is currently battling a pharmaceutical company over the rights to the iconic nickname.

The Blast reports:

According to court documents obtained by The Blast, the pharmaceutical company Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals is demanding Kobe be ordered to turn over evidence they believe will help their case against the NBA legend.

Hi-Tech and Kobe have been fighting each other over who can use the name “Black Mamba” for years.

The pharma company says they fired off a list of questions they wanted to be answered by Kobe and certain documents they requested him to turn over. The company claims that Kobe has given evasive or incomplete answers and refused to turn over everything based on “unreasonable objections.”

Hi-Tech argues they cannot prepare for the upcoming trial if Kobe does not hand over the docs ASAP.

As with the case, Bryant has largely been mum period about the matter.

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Photo: Getty

Source: HipHopWired.com

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Beyoncé Embroiled In Blue Ivy Trademark Fight With Wedding Planner

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60th Annual GRAMMY Awards - Show

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Beyoncé is still in the middle of an odd legal tussle regarding the use of her daughter Blue Ivy‘s name by a wedding planner who believes she has rights to do so. The Houston singer is refusing to hand over documents and private texts between her husband Jay-Z and mother Tina Lawson that the wedding planner believe would help her case.

The Blast reports:

According to documents obtained by The Blast, Veronica Morales has requested a list of documents and communications from Beyoncé in their trademark battle.

Morales wants Beyoncé to turn over all documents showing any evidence she planned to actually use the trademark “Blue Ivy” (since Morales doesn’t believe the singer ever planned to use it) and any samples of her intent to use the name.

Morales is also seeking all communications with Jay-Z relating to their 2016 trademark application, any communications of her or Jay-Z knowing about “Blue Ivy” before their daughter was born in February 2012, and any records of convos with Bey and her mother about the mark.

Beyoncé has thus far refused to hand over the documents and is demanding a protective order be entered which would prohibit Morales or her legal team from leaking the confidential information.

In 2017, the Carters trademarked their eldest daughter’s name not to use it for product placements but to prevent instances like the one Morales is attempting.

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Photo: Getty

Source: HipHopWired.com

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Coogi Files Lawsuit Against The Brooklyn Nets For Style Thievery [Photos]

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Brooklyn Nets Jetblue Aircraft and City Edition Uniforms

Source: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Nets / Brooklyn Nets

The fashion brand that The Notorious B.l.G. made famous is coming for their coin. Hip-Hop’s favorite sweater design is now the subject of a high-priced lawsuit.

Complex is reporting that Coogi Australia is suing the Brooklyn Nets over their recent tribute to the Black Frank White. The team’s limited-edition “Brooklyn Camo” jerseys featured a colorful trim that is very similar to the apparel company’s iconic knitwear design. Considering B.I.G. popularized the pricey cardigans with several references in his songs it seems that their legal gripe does have some merit.

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〰 Coogi down to the socks 〰

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In the court documents Coogi took a hard stance on the perceived infringement. “While other colorful and ornamental sweaters have and continue to exist, the highly distinctive and ornamental designs of COOGI sweaters and apparel have become exceedingly famous.” Coogi is seeking monies for damages and are asking that the NBA team cease selling the apparel immediately.

Originally launched in 1969 the brand has become the knit to wear for flex purposes. Since getting B.I.G.’s cosign in the 90’s Coogi has been worn by an a-list of celebrities including Floyd Mayweather, Conor McGregor, Kanye West, Drake and more.

Photo: The Brooklyn Nets

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Jay-Z Wins Diversity Fight In Trademark Case

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Criminal Justice Reform Organization Launch

Source: Shareif Ziyadat / Getty

Late last year, Jay-Z found himself in the middle of a trademark case involving the Roc Nation logo brought by the Iconix Brand. Hov noted that the arbitration panel didn’t feature one Black person and demanded diversity, which was granted to the business mogul and rapper in court recently.

Page Six reports:

The renowned rapper sued last year to stop the American Arbitration Association from resolving his dispute with the clothing company Iconix over trademark infringement claims related to his line of Roc Nation hats.

Jay-Z’s Manhattan Supreme Court suit claimed there was not a single black arbitrator on the national association’s “Large and Complex Cases” roster.

The group only has one Asian-American, one South Asian and one Latino representative, his suit charged.

The “99 Problems” singer and entrepreneur argued that minority business owners should be able to select from a group that “reflects the diverse population.”

Its lily-white membership deprived black litigants like Jay-Z of “the equal protection of the laws,” he said.

Jay-Z’s side is asking the judge overseeing the case to discontinue the matter after AAA offered up its Senior Vice President, who happens to be Black, to work as a mediator in the case. The group offered Jay-Z a choice of five Black candidates for its “Large and Complex Cases” division.

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Kobe Bryant Will Copy Lil Wayne’s “I Don’t Recall” Tactic If Called To Testify Over Black Mamba Name

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Oscar Awards 2018 Press Room

Source: Adriana M. Barraza/WENN.com / WENN

Kobe Bryant is in the midst of a trademark clash over the company trying to use his “Black Mamba” nickname for one of their products. In recent court maneuvers, Bryant’s legal team says that if the company attempts to get the retired NBA great to testify, they’ll get hit with the Lil Wayne Heisman.

The Blast reports:

According to documents obtained by The Blast, the company Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals — who are in a trademark fight with Kobe over his famous nickname — filed a motion to compel as part of their ongoing battle.

The company claims they have been trying to get Kobe to turn over documents they believe will help their case. Hi-Tech informed Kobe’s lawyer they planned on deposing him but his attorney refused to agree to a sit-down, instead offering to hand over written answers.

Kobe’s lawyer allegedly told the company, “Deposing Kobe Bryant would be like Lil Wayne’s deposition … it would be just like that – he’d just be saying ‘I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know.’”

The attorney is referring to an infamous deposition Wayne gave in 2012 where he answered “I don’t recall” to dozens of questions.

The outlet adds that if the company attempts to depose Bryant, they’ll be greeted by his flock of attorneys instead. This legal battle began when Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals filed a trademark for the “Black Mamba HYPERRUSH” diet pills in 2015 with Bryant’s team doing so the year after. From Bryant’s side, they believe Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals’ brand will be confused with his own.

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Photo: WENN

Source: HipHopWired.com

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Rihanna Sued Over “FU” Logo Trademark Infringement

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Rihanna and Slick Woods for FENTY X PUMA spring 2018

Source: Supplied by WENN.com / WENN

Rihanna is accused by a clothing company for ripping off their logo, although the reasoning looks a bit thin based on what’s been presented. Freedom United believes that its “FU” logo is too similar to Rihanna’s “Fenty University” logo from Puma and seeking damages.

The Blast reports:

According to court documents obtained by The Blast, Freedom United claims they have been making clothing with an “FU” logo since 2006 and even have it trademarked.

The company claims since they’ve launched, their clothing has been worn and/or promoted by such celebs as Demi Lovato, Brody Jenner, Matt Leinart, Haylie and Hilary Duff, Evan Ross, Joel Madden, Jesse McCartney, Katie Cassidy, Mike the “Miz” Mizanin, Brittany Snow and many others.

Then, Freedom United claims Rihanna came along with her PUMA deal and began selling items with a similar logo on her “Fenty University” clothing. They even claim Rihanna was spotted wearing one of their sweatshirts back in 2014, before she launched her “confusingly similar” line.

A response from Rihanna’s legal team has yet to surface. Along with damages, Freedom United is also seeking an injunction against the producers of Fenty University clothing and related merchandise.

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Photo: Getty

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