Pop punk outfit Yellowcard have dismissed their copyright lawsuit against the late rapper Juice WRLD, without prejudice, according to a recent New York Times report. According to the band’s attorney, this dismissal allows the band to refile the suit against the rapper at a later time.
The band, originally sued Juice WRLD for $15 million in late 2019, alleging that his hit song “Lucid Dreams” knowingly copied, the melody from their 2006 song “Holly Wood Died.” While the group reportedly put the lawsuit on hold following the rapper’s death in December of 2018, it was reported little over a week later that they decided to extend the suit. This extension reportedly gave the rapper’s estate, his producers Nick Mira and Taz Taylor, along with the labels Interscope and Grade A Productions until February to respond.
According to the band’s attorney, Richard S. Busch, the band felt “uncomfortable” about pursuing this legal recourse against the rapper’s mother, who served as the representative for his estate. Busch also claimed that the group were sympathetic about his passing and added that they needed “additional time” to make a decision regarding this lawsuit.
“The dismissal was without prejudice, which means it can be refilled [sic],” Busch said in a statement to Pitchfork. “My clients really were uncomfortable about pursuing this action against Juice WRLD’s grieving mother as the representative of his Estate. As they said previously, they also are incredibly sympathetic about his death, and were torn initially about pursuing this in light of his death. As a result of all that has happened, they simply need additional time to decide what they want to do.”
Juice WRLD’s attorneys have stated that they “were fully prepared to defend against the allegations -viewed as without merit- and remain so prepared should it become necessary.”
Photo Credit: Mehreen Rizvi
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