French Montana Prevails in Copyright Lawsuit Over ’Ain’t Worried About Nothin’ Sample

A victory for French Montana. Judge Nancy Maldonado of the Northern District of Illinois ruled in favor of the rapper accused of illegally sampling an obscure Chicago hip-hop producer, Eddie Lee Richardson - aka Hotwire The Producer on his song "Ain’t Worried About Nothin," reports Billboard. "Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery," but it does not always constitute copyright infringement, she said.

Eddie Lee Richardson claimed that French Montana had copied his instrumental song "Hood Pushin Weight" for his hit. However, in her decision, the judge believes that the rapper’s song did not technically infringe the rights held by the producer. "The mere fact that the songs may share certain musical elements is simply not enough for a jury to conclude that such sampling has actually occurred," comments Nancy Maldonado. She added: "In plain terms, Richardson cannot bring a copyright infringement action on his sound recording based solely on the claim that the songs sound similar."

According to the judge, this is only a technical victory for the CEO of the Coke Boys label on the basis of the factual and legal record presented to the Court, which should not claim a substantive victory. Addressing the producer, she repeatedly suggested that if Richardson had obtained a more complete set of intellectual property rights, the outcome could have been different. "If it’s any consolation, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and the Court hopes Richardson will not be discouraged in his musical efforts, now armed with a better understanding of copyright law," continues Nancy Maldonado.