Namco Sues Lil’ Flip & Sony Over “Game Over” Sample

Namco America has filed a lawsuit against rapper Lil’ Flip and Sony Music Entertainment for copyright infringement, over the rapper’s#### song “Game Over.” In a lawsuit filed in US District Court, Southern District of New York, Namco alleges their copyright was infringed upon, when sounds from the game "Pac-Man" and "Ms. Pac-Man" were included on […]

Namco America has

filed a lawsuit against rapper Lil’ Flip and Sony Music Entertainment for

copyright infringement, over the rapper’s#### song “Game Over.”

In a lawsuit filed

in US District Court, Southern District of New York, Namco alleges their copyright

was infringed upon, when sounds from the game "Pac-Man" and "Ms.

Pac-Man" were included on “Game Over” and the remix to the

song.

Lawyers for Namco

were tightlipped about the details of the case.

The lawsuit alleges

the sampled portions of the songs were never cleared and cited that the song

contained references to guns, drugs and profanity.

Sources stated

that Namco is seeking millions in damages, with some stating the amount could

be as high as $10 million dollars.

“Game Over”

is taken from Lil’ Flip’s platinum selling double album U Gotta

Feel Me.

The lawsuit was

filed months before a federal appeals court in Cincinnati, Ohio ruled that artists

should pay for every sample included in their work, including short snippets,

whether they were distinguishable or not.

The law previously

allowed for some flexibility in regards to sampling, but that was struck down,

when federal laws were passed to curb piracy of digital recordings.

The court ruled

those laws applies to digital sampling.