Lawsuit
Diplo Could Face Criminal Charges Following Sexual Misconduct Allegations
Following the conclusion of an official police investigation into a 2020 complaint, Diplo may now face criminal charges for sexual misconduct in the city of Los Angeles. The city attorney’s office is reportedly considering two charges against the prolific DJ: one for invasion of privacy and another for intentionally giving someone a sexually transmitted infection, according to BuzzFeed News. Both are considered misdemeanors in the state of California and punishable by fines, jail time, or both. News first broke of the allegations last October, when a 25-year-old woman publicly accused Diplo of grooming, emotional abuse and intimidation. Her coinciding complaint with the LAPD detailed that the artist had recorded and distributed sexually explicit videos of her without conse...
DJ Envy Agrees to Drop Carchella Name Following Coachella Lawsuit
The organizers of Carchella, a touring music and celebrity exotic car showcase, have signed a temporary restraining order preventing them from hosting or promoting events under the Carchella brand. The legal measure was sought by Goldenvoice, parent company of Coachella, who alleged Carchella is causing confusion among consumers. They believe the commercial use of the name Carchella may cause attendees to believe the events to be affiliated in some capacity. According to the suit, Coachella noted that DJ Envy, Carchella’s primary organizer, is a well-known personality within hip-hop. Given the ancillary musical aspect of Carchella, Coachella felt inclined to step in and protect their intellectual property. Flyer promoting the Atlantic City edition of “Carchella.̶...
Dave Grohl Reacts to Nirvana Nevermind Baby Lawsuit: “I Have Many Ideas of How We Should Alter That Cover”
Dave Grohl has reacted to the recent lawsuit brought against Nirvana by Spencer Elden, who was photographed as the baby on the cover of the band’s iconic 1991 album, Nevermind. In a new interview, the onetime Nirvana drummer and current Foo Fighters frontman said he has “many ideas of how we should alter that cover.” Elden is suing multiple defendants — including Grohl, Krist Novoselic, the estate of Kurt Cobain, Courtney Love, Universal Music Group, and more — alleging 30 years later that the naked underwater image of him as a 4-month-old baby was child pornography and that using it as the album cover was child sexual exploitation. In addition to seeking monetary compensation, Elden is requesting that the cover artwork be changed for all future releases of Nevermind, including the recentl...
Coachella Files Lawsuit Against “Carchella” Auto Show Organizers
Coachella is taking legal action against a similarly named event and car show, Carchella. The organizers of the popular California music festival claim that the automobile event is unfairly capitalizing not only on the name, but also the logos and branding. The suit also claims that Carchella’s musical elements share a significant crossover. DJ Envy, organizer of Carchella and famed radio host, has already organized two Carchella events in Atlanta and Atlantic City, with two more installments planned to be held in Detroit and Miami later this year. Flyer promoting “Carchella,” an exotic automobile show facing a lawsuit from Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. DJ Envy (via Facebook) Recommended Articles “The plaintiffs have no objection to defendants’ hol...
Afrika Bambaataa Hit With New Allegations of Sex Trafficking Minor In Lawsuit
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: WENN / WENN Afrika Bambaataa and the Zulu Nation are mired in controversy once again due to a new lawsuit levied against the Hip-Hop pioneer and the group with some disturbing allegations. According to records in the New York Supreme Court, a lawsuit against Bambaataa was filed on August 4 on behalf of the plaintiff referred to in the documents as John Doe, who is a separate individual from those who first alleged abuse by Bambaataa in 2016. The lawsuit was filed under New York’s Child Victims Act that came into effect in 2019, which allows for adult victims of childhood sexual abuse to sue within a limited window of time regardless of when the offense took place. The victim claims that he was “repeatedly sexually abused and sex trafficked” by Bambaataa w...
Nike Sues Designer John Greiger For Using The AF1 As Inspiration For His “GF-01”
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: @johngeiger_ / Instagram For the past few months Nike has been suing the socks off of any and everyone who dares make a buck off of any of their classic silhouette designs, and if you thought they’d fall back for even a second, you’d be wrong. According to Law360, customizer-turned-designer John Geiger is the latest to feel the legal muscle of the swoosh brand as he’s just been added to an existing lawsuit in which Nike claims his La La Land brand is infringing on their classic Air Force 1 silhouette. Nike feels that Geiger’s “GF-01” sneakers look a tad bit too much like the 1’s that helped make Nike the hottest sportswear brand in the streets today. “By marketing and selling shoes using Nike’s registered Air Force 1 trade dress, John Geiger knowingl...
The Baby on Nirvana’s Nevermind Album Cover Sues Band for Child Sexual Exploitation
Spencer Elden, who was famously photographed as a baby for Nirvana’s iconic Nevermind album cover, is suing the band for child sexual exploitation. The lawsuit comes just a month shy of the landmark album’s 30th anniversary. One of the most famous album covers of all time, Nevermind depicts a then four-month-old Elden swimming naked underwater as he reaches for a dollar bill. As the story goes, Elden was the son of a friend of album photographer Kurt Weddle. Nirvana’s label, Geffen, initially objected to Elden’s penis being visible, but Kurt Cobain insisted it not be censored. The Nirvana frontman at one point said his only compromise would be a strategically placed sticker that read, “If you’re offended by this, you must be a closet pedophile.” According to TMZ, Elden has now filed a laws...
Walker Wear Files Lawsuit Against Off-White™ For Alleged “WW” Logo Thievery
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Edward Berthelot / Getty One of the culture’s greatest architects feels like her legacy is being infringed upon. April Walker has filed a lawsuit against Virgil Abloh’s Off-White™ brand over her “WW” trademark. As spotted on Hype Beast the house that Virgil built will have to do a bit of explaining in court. In the complaint Walker Wear alleges that he and his team took their logo likeness, tweaked it slightly and made it their own. Referred herein as the “Virgil Abloh Cheat Code” the paperwork says his brand “chang[e] others’ designs by only ‘three percent’ and then claim the design as his own”. The thievery in question revolves around an Off-White™ varsity jacket from. The piece features “WW” on the chest written in collegiate fo...
Nicki Minaj and Husband Sued by His Attempted Rape Victim for Harassment and Witness Intimidation
The woman who was sexually assaulted by Nicki Minaj’s husband, Kenneth Petty, has filed a lawsuit against both Minaj and Petty, accusing the couple of harassment and witness intimidation. TMZ reports that Jennifer Hough says Minaj and Petty “have directly and indirectly harassed her and threatened her to not speak about the incident.” The assault occurred in September 1994, when both Hough and Petty were 16 years old and living in South Jamaica, Queens. According to a complaint filed at the time, the victim had been walking to school when Petty came up behind her, pressing an object against her back and instructed her to “keep walking.” The two eventually arrived at Petty’s residence, where he allegedly forced her upstairs and began to rape her at knifepoint before she was able to strike h...
Four Tet Sues Label Over Perceived Discrepancy In Streaming Royalty Rate
A new lawsuit brought forth by Four Tet claims his label Domino Recordings underpaid his streaming royalties for music released over a decade ago. The contract, singed in 2001, led to a partnership between the producer and Domino that manifested multiple albums, including 2001’s Pause, 2003’s Rounds, and 2005’s Everything Ecstatic. At the heart of Four Tet’s claim is the assertion that he is entitled to a 50% share of the streaming royalties for these albums. However, he was historically paid only 18%, according to the suit. The basis for the claim comes from a clause in the contract which suggests that any licensing of his masters to services based outside of the UK entitles Four Tet to a 50% royalty rate. A judge could potentially rule this to be the ca...
Bam Margera Sues Jackass Producers Claiming Mental Health Discrimination
Former Jackass star Bam Margera is suing producers of the upcoming Jackass film claiming that his exclusion from the project was the result of mental health discrimination. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Margera filed the suit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, seeking an injunction on the release of Jackass Forever, as well as monetary damages. Margera specifically claims that Paramount Pictures, MTV Networks, Jeff Tremaine, Johnny Knoxville, Spike Jonze, and other associated entities violated his civil rights when they forced him to sign a “Wellness Agreement” and then fired him after a positive drug test. Advertisement Related Video According to Margera, the Wellness Agreement required him to blow into a breathalyzer three times a day, submit to a urinalysis twice a week, ha...
Marilyn Manson Seeks to Dismiss Esmé Bianco’s Lawsuit, Describes Assault Allegations by Multiple Women as “Coordinated Attack”
Marilyn Manson has filed legal papers seeking to dismiss a lawsuit brought against him by Game of Thrones actress Esmé Bianco. In the same documents, the disgraced singer describes the recent sexual assault allegations by multiple women as a “coordinated attack.” Bianco is one of a number of women who have accused Manson of sexual abuse over the past several months. As previously reported, she sued the shock rocker in April for sexual assault, physical abuse, and human trafficking. She first shared her story in February, weeks after actress Evan Rachel Wood went public with her accusations against Manson. Bianco described Manson as “monster who almost destroyed me,” adding that she “basically felt like a prisoner” while living with the singer. She accused Manson of using “drugs, force...
