Jay Z says song licensing not his responsibility in copyright trial
- 9 years ago
Rapper Jay Z said in court on Wednesday that he had no responsibility for clearing the rights for music used in his recordings, testifying at the trial of a copyright lawsuit over his 1999 hit song, "Big Pimpin'."
Jay Z and hip hop producer Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley are among the defendants named in a 2007 complaint by the nephew of late Egyptian songwriter Baligh Hamdy, who alleged that the rapper had used his uncle's song without permission.
When asked if he had cleared copyright for Hamdy's "Khosara, Khosara" melody, Jay Z said, "That's not what I do.
I make music."
Jay Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, appeared calm throughout his hour-and-a-half testimony on the second day of the trial at U.S. District court in Los Angeles, saying he had assumed his producer Timbaland had created the key chorus melody in "Big Pimpin'."
"I didn't think it was a sample.
There would be no reason for me thinking to clear the song," he said.
Jay Z and hip hop producer Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley are among the defendants named in a 2007 complaint by the nephew of late Egyptian songwriter Baligh Hamdy, who alleged that the rapper had used his uncle's song without permission.
When asked if he had cleared copyright for Hamdy's "Khosara, Khosara" melody, Jay Z said, "That's not what I do.
I make music."
Jay Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, appeared calm throughout his hour-and-a-half testimony on the second day of the trial at U.S. District court in Los Angeles, saying he had assumed his producer Timbaland had created the key chorus melody in "Big Pimpin'."
"I didn't think it was a sample.
There would be no reason for me thinking to clear the song," he said.