Hov said during the Wednesday, October 14 trial that he didn't even know Timbaland sampled 'Khosara Khosara' for his hit.
- Oct 15, 2015
AceShowbiz - Jay-Z returned to the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 14 for the second day of trial of copyright infringement lawsuit over his "Big Pimpin' ". As previously reported, the rapper and collaborator Timbaland are among those sued by Osama Ahmed Fahmy, the nephew of late Egyptian songwriter Baligh Hamdy, who claims they illegally sampled a 1957 song called "Khosara Khosara" on their 1999 hit.
Jay-Z testified during the Wednesday trial, telling the jury of six men and two women that he didn't even know Timbaland used the late musician's song for "Big Pimpin' " because according to him, the producer rarely samples other artists' works. "I didn't think there was a sample in it," he said. "Timbaland presented me with a track. I didn't even think about there being a sample in it."
Asked by Fahmy's attorney Peter Ross why he didn't check if the "Khosara Khosara" sample had been cleared before he used it, Hova said he's not responsible of doing it. "That's not what I do. I make music," he said.
Of why he continued selling "Big Pimpin' " and performing it after Fahmy sued him in 2007, he explained that he believed he had the right to do so. "At some point there was a claim brought and then it was cleared up, and the rights were granted," he said, apparently referring to the fact that Timbo had paid EMI Music Arabia which owns Hamdy's song to acquire the license. "I was under the understanding we had a license."
Timbaland also testified at the trial, saying that he found "Khosara Khosara" on a CD of Arabic music labeled "license free." "I'm thinking it's free music, free songs, and I sampled it," he said and added he shelled out $100,000 after finding out the song was copyrighted. "Legal just told me, 100 grand, and you're clear," he explained. "I thought I was free and clear."
