50 Cent is being sued by another rapper for allegedly stealing a lyric for his 2003 single ‘In Da Club’.
The former frontman of 2 Live Crew, Luther Campbell has filed a claim at Miami Federal Court that says 50 used the opening line of Campbell’s song ‘It’s Your Birthday’ and changed just one word.
According to Campbell’s lawyer, in ‘In Da Club’, ‘Sheila’ becomes ‘shorty’ in the lyric ‘Go shorty, it’s your birthday’.
Campbell’s version of the song appeared on his 1994 solo album ‘Still A Freak For Life’.
50 Cent – real name Curtis Jackson – was unavailable for comment, BBC News reports.
The claim was filed on behalf of Lil’ Joe Wein Music, who hold the copyright for ‘It’s Your Birthday’.
Richard C Wolfe, Campbell’s lawyer, said: “It’s the melody, it’s the pace, the style – everything about that one line is the same. We’re entitled to a portion of the profits.”
It is also claimed in the case that Campbell’s song ‘I Like It, I Love It’ can be heard on 50 Cent’s 2003 DVD ‘50 Cent – The New Breed’.
In addition to lawyers’ fees and other legal costs, Campbell is seeking unspecified damages.
Wolfe won a $2.3 million (£1.2 million) judgement against Campbell in 1994 for another rapper who claimed that the 2 Live Crew frontman withheld royalties.
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