May 14, 2001 12:29

LAWSUITS YOU SIR!

J-Swift claims Joe's chart-topper 'Stutter' uses the actual music from The Pharcyde</strong's 'Passin' Me By'...

Producer J-SWIFT, responsible for THE
PHARCYDE [/url]'s 1993 classic 'PASSIN' ME BY', has
filed an $11 million suit against JIVE RECORDS, ZOMBA RECORDING CORP and TOUCHSTONE PICTURES for their uncleared use of his original production on the US Number One 'STUTTER' by R&B artist JOE.

"They used my actual music [from 'Passin' Me By'], they even stole the lyrics and melody that I wrote - 'My dear, my dear, my dear, you do not know me...'", Swift said in a statement.

"People were coming up to me congratulating me, asking how much I was getting paid. I went into the store to see if I had been credited, and saw everyone's name listed but mine," he added. The Pharcyde, though, are credited on the single. "I own more of that song than anybody," continued an angry Swift. "Someone is always trying to sue rap producers because we sample older records, and now it's ironic that they're sampling a hip hop record and not clearing it."

The 'Stutter' remix, featuring rapper Mystikal, also appears on the 'Double Take' film soundtrack. The single, from Joe's multi-platinum 'My Name Is Joe' album, spent five weeks at the number one spot on theBillboard singles chart.