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Nipsey Hussle Estate Sues the Crips LLC for Trademark Infringement

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Samuel Asghedom, the brother of Nipsey Hussle and administrator of the late rapper’s estate, filed a trademark infringement lawsuit Oct. 10 against Tia Hollis and the Crips LLC (not affiliated with the crip gang organization), in U.S. District Court in California.

According to the 20-page complaint, Asghedom, who also goes by Blacc Sam, is suing the Crips LLC and Hollis — a managing member who owns a majority in the Crips LLC, which is not associated with the LA street gang — for trademark infringement, false advertising and unfair competition over their use of the catchphrase “The Marathon Continues.”

Asghedom says his brother started the Marathon Clothing line in 2011 based on his catchphrases “the marathon” and the “marathon continues” from his two mixtapes he released under All Money Inc. Nipsey subsequently trademarked the phrases for use on his clothing line. In 2012, he opened his Marathon Clothing store in the Crenshaw Plaza, selling T-shirts, sweaters, beanies, hats and sweatshirts, among other items. He also obtained trademarks for his catchphrases that he put on his clothing line. On March 31, 2019, Nipsey was fatally shot in front of the store.

According to the lawsuit, in 2019, the Crips LLC filed an application for a trademark for use of the phrase “The Marathon Continues” on education manuals for community organization and gang prevention. After learning of the filing, Asghedom initiated a notice with the trademark office opposing the Crips’ use of the mark, but he alleges they have continued to use the phrase for commercial purposes.

He is asking the court to order the Crips LLC and Hollis to destroy all unlawful products and to compensate Nipsey’s estate for any advertising and other expenses to dispel public confusion.

“Since Nipsey’s murder the City of Los Angeles, and his many fans around the world have mourned his loss and honored his memory with love in respect,” the estate’s attorney, James A. Bryant II, tells Billboard in a statement. “However, despite the outpouring support to Nipsey’s memory and his family, there are those who still seek to profit off his loss and tarnish his legacy all for personal and selfish gain. Because of these vultures, Nipsey’s family and his estate will do everything in their power to preserve and protect Nipsey’s legacy by any and all means, including taking legal action against those who would violate his memory.

“We also wanted to dispel the misconception that there is some form of dispute that Crips, LLC or Tia Hollis are in any way connected with any of the many Crips gangs throughout Los Angeles,” the statement continues. “Tia Hollis, has also formed the company Bloods, LLC. So for absolute clarity, despite the name of the Company, Crips, LLC, who has sought to improperly register mark “The Marathon Continues”, which was filed literally a few weeks after Nipsey’s death, and allegedly first used in commerce on April 1, 2019, a day after Nipsey’s murder, they are not affiliated with any organized Crips gang, and this should not be viewed as an attempt by the Crips gang to make an underhanded move against Nipsey or his memory following his death.”

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Behind Closed Doors: Nas Opens Up About the Events that Led to Cutting Ties with R. Kelly

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Photos by Harry Borden, Ron Galella/Getty Images

In the world of music collaborations, there are some that stand out as iconic moments in history. One such collaboration was between the legendary rapper Nas and the talented R&B artist R. Kelly on the remix of Nas’s hit song “Street Dream.” This remix, known as the “Street Dream Remix,” brought together two powerhouse artists from different genres to create a musical masterpiece that still resonates with fans today.

In 1996, the Queensbridge rapper Nas was one of the hottest artists in the urban music industry. That year he released his second studio album “It Was Written” with standout singles “If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)” and “Street Dreams”. The album was a commercial success, selling 270,000 copies in its first week and debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart.

The second single “Street Dreams” brought together Nas and R. Kelly for an epic remix that was change Hip Hop forever. This collaboration seamlessly bridged the realms of hip-hop and R&B, forging a unique connection between disparate musical spheres. It not only captivated a diverse array of fans but also highlighted the artistic flexibility of Nas and R Kelly, setting a new standard for future music collaborations. The “Street Dream Remix” emerged as a cultural phenomenon, propelling the artists into the limelight and solidifying their influence in their respective genres.

The music video was shot by Hype Williams in September 1996 and R. Kelly was so impressed by the collaboration he wanted to build a working relationship with Nas. R. Kelly also wanted to record a joint double album with Nas so they could cross promote a multi-city tour and marketing events.

Unfortunately this major moment in hip hop history would never happen, due to R. Kelly. Nas was featured on the remix version of “Did You Ever Think” from Kelly’s 1999 “R” album, but they recorded together again. Watch the video below from our friend Karceno4Life to find out more:

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Bruno Mars Allegedly Has $50 Million Gambling Debt With MGM Casino

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Photo courtesy of The Brand Guild

Bruno Mars might be in some hot water with MGM.

The “24K Magic” singer announced a multi-year residency with MGM Resorts International in 2016, performing at the hospitality giant’s Park MGM resort in Las Vegas.

However, the relationship between the 38-year-old and the hospitality giant may have gone sour as the singer’s gambling has allegedly racked up large debts at the poker tables in Las Vegas, according to NewsNation.

“He owed millions to the MGM,” a Vegas insider told the outlet.

Another source added that the debt is as high as $50 million.

“[MGM] basically own him. He makes $90 million a year off of the deal he did with the casino, but then he has to pay back his debt,” added the insider, claiming that the singer only makes $1.5 million per night after taxes.

Part of Mars’ MGM contract reportedly included the creation of The Pinky Ring, a cocktail lounge inside the Bellagio Resort. NewsNation reports that another project is in the works as well.

[Read More via Complex]

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Steve Stoute Blames Dame Dash For Jay-Z, Roc-A-Fella Records Break Up

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Steve Stoute is talking about what caused the downfall of Jay-Z and Dame Dash’s friendship and working relationship—and Dame has something to say about it.

On the latest episode of Club Shay Shay, the music executive recalled how Dame, now 52, and Hov, 54, couldn’t keep Roc-A-Fella Records afloat. According to Stoute, Dame “blew it,” and it’s incredible how he did that, especially when he had Jay-Z, “the most important artist of his generation,” in his corner. Host Shannon Sharpe specifically asked how “that relationship that was so good sour so fast.”

“Dame’s antics, were just, it became—people over time, you mature,” 53-year-old Stoute said. “It’s like you have friends at 16, but by the time you turn 19, they were still doing the same shit when you were 16. … You start spending less and less time with them because of that.” 

Our podcast FRSHOUT Hip Hop breaks down the recent damning comments from Steve Stoute on Dame Dash.


[Watch the full clip @ FRSHOUT Hip Hop]

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