A judge has dismissed the case after ruling that the plaintiff didn't have the right to seek a claim of copyright infringement.
- Oct 22, 2015
AceShowbiz - Jay-Z has won a copyright infringement trial over Egyptian "Big Pimpin' " sample. On Wednesday, October 21, U.S. District Judge Christina A. Snyder dismissed the case before it was sent to a jury. The judge ruled Osama Ahmed Fahmy, the nephew of Egyptian composer Baligh Hamdi, didn't have the right to seek a claim of copyright infringement against Jay-Z and Timbaland.
Christina didn't provide details in what led to her decision to dismiss the case, but she told jurors she tossed out the case after hearing testimony from Egyptian law experts. Jay-Z's attorney Andrew Bart said in a statement, "My client is pleased with and gratified by the decision."
Timbaland's lawyer Christine Lepera added, "We and our clients obviously are very pleased with this decision. The court correctly ruled that the Plaintiff had no right to bring this case and cannot pursue any claim of infringement in connection with 'Big Pimpin' ' whatsoever. Defendants have maintained throughout that Mr. Fahmy has no right to sue for infringement in connection with 'Big Pimpin' ' and that fact has now been established."
Osama's lawyer Keith Wesley vowed to appeal the ruling, saying, "We disagree strongly with the ruling, and we fully intend to appeal. We haven't fully formulated our appeal strategy, but certainly we believe the court committed legal error in failing to restrict the license under Egyptian law."
Osama sued Jay-Z and Timbaland in 2007, alleging that the duo exploited Baligh's "Khosara Khosara" without proper permission as flute notes which Baligh composed are repeated throughout "Big Pimpin' ". Timbaland shelled out $100,000 to settle a previous claim about the rights to use Baligh's song in 2001. He and Jay-Z both testified in the trial last week.
