Beastie Boys sue Chili’s parent company for copyright infringement
Brinker International tried to ill without license, according to a new lawsuit filed by iconic rap group The Beastie Boys.
The Beastie Boys are suing the parent company of Chili’s in a case that accuses the chain restaurant of running an advertisement that used the hip-hop trio’s smash hit “Sabotage” without permission.
In a federal case filed Wednesday in New York, the acclaimed rap-rock group, who rose to fame in the ’80s with the release of their debut album “Licensed to Ill,” allege Brinker International created a Chili’s ad that used significant portions of “Sabotage” and ripped off the song’s music video.
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The case was filed by surviving group members Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz and Michael “Mike D” Diamond, along with the executor of the estate of Adam “MCA” Yauch, who died of cancer in 2012 at age 47. Yauch, in his will, specifically barred the use of his music in advertisements.
In 2014, the Beastie Boys won $1.7 million in a copyright violation case against the maker of Monster Energy drink for the company’s unauthorized use of one of the group’s songs. In a separate ruling, Monster was ordered to pay an addition $668,000 of the the Beastie Boys’ $2.4 million legal fees from the trial.
The Beastie Boys, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012, have turned out four No. 1 albums and sold more than 40 million records. Last year, the corner of Ludlow and Rivington streets in New York City was officially renamed Beastie Boys Square. The intersection is featured on the cover of the group’s second album, “Paul’s Boutique.”
Source: cbsnews.com