Evel Knievel has sued Kanye West for trademark infringement over a music video that depicts the Grammy-winning recording star as "Evel Kanyevel" trying to jump a canyon on a rocket vehicle.
- Dec 13, 2006
AceShowbiz - Kanye West is facing trademark infringement lawsuit filed by famous American stuntman Evel Knievel over a music video that depicts the rapper as "Evel Kanyevel" trying to jump a canyon on a rocket vehicle.
The lawsuit, filed on Monday Dec 11th in U.S. District Court in Tampa, Florida, says Knievel's image was tarnished by the "vulgar, sexual and racially charged nature" of West's video for his hit single "Touch the Sky," which co-stars actress Pamela Anderson. To make the matter worse, Knievel also claims the "vulgar and offensive" images depicted in the video damage his reputation.
In the video for "Touch the Sky," released earlier this year, West dons the familiar Knievel star-studded jumpsuit and jumps a canyon in a vehicle "visually indistinguishable" from the one used by Knievel in his failed attempt to jump the Snake River Canyon in Idaho in 1974.
The lawsuit, also names Roc-A-Fella Records, video director Chris Milk and AOL for distributing it, seeks damages and to halt distribution of the video. In the meantime, a spokesman for West said the 28-year-old rapper has no comment.
