Summary: After being given false information over who had the rights to a flute composition and payment for using it, the family of the composer wants more money.
After being paid once by Timbaland, relatives of composer Baligh Hamdi are suing for more. The lawsuit was first filed in 2007 in a California federal court and is now moving forward for a judge to hear. The family of Egyptian composer Hamdi says his flute sample was improperly used for the hit song ‘Big Pimpin’. The sample was originally used for the 1957 film “Khosara, Khosara.”
The nephew of Hamdi, Osama Fahmy, is the one bringing the suit against Jay Z and Timbaland, both of which are expected to testify in court.
The sample was used by Timbaland because he was under the impression that it was public domain. When he learned that it was not, he made an agreement with EMI Music Arabia which claimed they had the rights to the film in 2001. Timbaland paid $100,000 to EMI for the rights to use the sample.
The payment was divided up to Hamdi’s descendants since Hamdi had died in 1993. The family wants more money because they were unaware of the settlement and did not realize how famous the song would be. They want what they feel is fair compensation.
The case resembles the one Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke is currently appealing over their song “Blurred Lines”. A judge gave the family of Marvin Gaye $7.3 million, stating the song overstepped Gaye’s “Got To Give It Up.”
Source: http://pagesix.com/2015/08/15/jay-z-and-timbaland-to-testify-in-big-pimpin-lawsuit/
Photo: spin.com