TRIAL SET RICK ROSS vs. Warner MUSIC

EXCLUSIVE: Freeway Rick Ross, Warner Brothers Going To Trial Over Rapper’s Name “Rick Ross” | AllHipHop.com

Freeway Rick Ross, Warner Brothers Going To Trial Over Rapper’s Name “Rick Ross”


(AllHipHop News) Lawyers for Warner Brothers and former drug kingpin/community activist Freeway Ricky Ross faced off in court yesterday (January 9), in downtown Los Angeles.

Both sides were in Superior Court, for a hearing in the ongoing battle over the name “Rick Ross.”


Judge Rita Miller finally set an August date for a trial by Jury, to hear the lawyers’ arguments regarding the case.
Freeway Ricky Ross told AllHipHop.com that he would be deposing some of the industry’s biggest executives in the case, all of whom are[..]ociated with the rapper Rick Ross.

“We will be deposing Sean Combs, Stephen Cooper, Lyor Cohen and Todd Moscowitz,” Freeway Ricky Ross told AllHipHop.com today (January 9).

Freeway Ricky Ross claims that despite the ongoing court battle, Rick Ross is still flagrantly ripping off his image.

The rapper recently revealed the title of his upcoming sixth album will be titled Mastermind.

According to Freeway Ricky Ross, the rapper continues to subtly, or not so subtly[..]ociate himself with words, images and phrases that will fool fans – or search engines.

“He uses Mastermind that’s exactly how the Wall Street Journal described me and my life story,” Freeway Ricky Ross pointed out to AllHipHop.com.

Rick Ross dropped a slick trailer for his new album Mastermind earlier this week.

It featured Curtis Mayfield’s classic “Gimme Your Love,” along with a shot of the cover from the soundtrack to the 1972 movie “Superfly.”

“This guy is literally trying to have people confuse him with me as an actual person,” Freeway Ricky Ross told AllHipHop.com. “In every interview I mention ‘Superfly’ as the movie that pushed me into powder cocaine. I even said it in the VH1′s ‘Planet Rock: The Story of Hip Hop and The Crack Generation,’ that was shown around the world. Then he comes out with this new video with the ‘Superfly’ movie cover as the centerpiece?”

Rick Ross the rapper, born William Leonard Roberts III, has been the subject of a trademark infringement lawsuit since June of 2010.

Freeway Ricky Ross is a former drug kingpin with a cult following, who served over 25 years in prison.

He was convicted of heading up a large-scale drug empire in the 1980s and nineties, that was infamously tied to President Ronald Reagan and the Iran-Contra Scandal.

The staggering amounts of drugs that Freeway Ricky Ross pushed around the country have been the subject of numerous documentaries and news articles, including the Pulitzer prize-winning series from the San Jose Mercury titled “Dark Alliance” by Gary Webb.

Freeway Ricky Ross’ original $10 million lawsuit claimed that rapper Rick Ross used these sources to steal his image and turn it into a multi-million dollar brand.

That lawsuit was dismissed in November 2010, when a judge ruled that Freeway Ricky Ross could not have used his illegal activity to trademark the name “Rick Ross” in the first place.

Freeway Ricky Ross appealed the ruling, but lost another round in court on a technicality in March of 2012, when a judge ruled that he waited too long to file a new lawsuit.

In July of 2012 he was granted an appeal to file a case against Warner Music, the label that markets the rapper’s Maybach Music Group, which features artists like Wale, Meek Mill, Gunplay, Triple C’s, Stalley and others

“The use of my name and image helps him in internet search globally. Its career launching high value to be believed to be the only hip hop artist on this list,” Freeway Rick Ross told AllHipHop.com. “Initially it grounded his career in the confusion, now it helps clean up the inauthenticity that came out about being an officer. I don’t need my name and image diluted and confused that way without license. The use of the ‘Superfly’ movie in this new video is directly connected with me personally as said prior.”

A Jury will hear arguments from both sides in Los Angeles Superior Court, on August 27.

“We feel good about our case, and look forward to letting an LA jury make the decision,” Freeway Ricky Ross told AllHipHop.com.

If he loses he should just change his name to Rozay for damage control.

Can't this guy give it as rest already? Never seen so much hate for a man, jealous because O. Rick Rozay is self made and grinded his way to the top. This Freeway guy sounds mad cuz he's been broke. Why would another man have to steal someone else's identity to become a rapper?? It's just music. So this guy really thinks that Rozay is taking his life stories to put them in his raps??? [pic] This dude sounds delusional...

Rozay made millions of dollars off his music. Why would he need to rap about YOUR life stories of selling kilos of cocaine in order to become a successful rapper? Hip hop is about the struggle and speaking about what goes on in the black community. How could he possibly even profit of his music if it all was lies? Shxt don't even make sense. Sad that someone has to go this far and attack a guy like Rozay who's the best in the rap game right now.

What are you talking about Let me take your name, house car and Mom then tell you give it a quit trying to get em back. Your a ignoramus.


This name and story is so valuable.

Blame Reagan for making me into a monster. Blame Oliver North and Iran-Contra I ran contraband that they sponsored."Jay-Z – Blue Magic Lyrics

This guy made a career on someones actual life then called it SELF MADE and you defend it. YOUR A NEW b00ty to HIP HOP>>>>[pic]

[pic]

People need to learn the law Personality Rights are allowed for anyone. The sh@t is the most valuable[..]et in hip hop other than lyrical skills a uniquely vicious background. He didnt make it that way. It just is and its worth MILLIONS.

So Says JAYZ, Roberts, Eazy E Snoop ALL YOUR HEROES

AHEM Again
Blame Reagan for making me into a monster. Blame Oliver North and Iran-Contra I ran contraband that they sponsored."Jay-Z – Blue Magic Lyrics

the hell with freeway ricky ross........niccaz take old legendary drug dealers names all the time but since the nicca grew a beard like you....you want to sue.


I don't owe you niccaz nothing nothing nothing.

Yeah niccas Take The Name.....But They dont they dont take HIS IMAGE,They dont TAKE HIS LIFESTYLE

If Rozay sold as Much Drugs as he Claimed....HE WOULDNT BE RAPPING

You sound stupid. Why would Rozay be rapping about it in the first place if he never sold drugs? People find ANYTHING to hate on nowadays I swear...