Photo Credit: Tony Webster / CC by 2.0
A lawsuit filed by DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill against Peloton for alleged copyright infringement has been dropped. Here’s the latest.
Lawrence Muggerud (DJ Muggs) submitted the lawsuit to a California federal court via the Soul Assassins, his hip-hop project. The lawsuit alleges that Peloton infringed on 11 compositions to which his publishing company owns. The following works are cited in the original lawsuit as being owned in whole or in part by Soul Assassins:
- “Jump Around” | 40% ownership
- “Insane in the Brain” | 50% ownership
- “(Rock) Superstar” | 50% ownership
- “How I Could Just Kill A Man” | 13.4% ownership
- “(Rap) Superstar” | 50% ownership
- “Hits From the Bong” | 15% ownership
- “Boom Biddy Bye Bye” | 55% ownership
- “Real Thing” | 10% ownership
- “I Ain’t Goin’ Out Like That” | 7.5% ownership
- “Tequila Sunrise” | 50% ownership
- “Tequila Sunrise (Radio Edit)” | 50% ownership
The lawsuit alleges that DJ Muggs “discovered within three years of the filing and could not have reasonably discovered earlier” Peloton’s original infringement. The lawsuit was filed back in August 2022 and sought $1.65 million in damages from Peloton. Now it has been summarily dismissed at the request of DJ Muggs–without Peloton having answered it at all.
“Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(a)(1)(A)(i) Plaintiff Soul Assassins, Inc. hereby provides notice that is hereby dismissing without prejudice and without costs, all claims alleged in the complaint against defendant Peloton Interactive Inc. (“Peloton”). Defendant Peloton has not filed an answer to the complaint or a motion for summary judgment. Therefore, it is respectfully submitting the dismissal under Rule 41(a)(1)(A)(i) is appropriate. Each party shall bear its own attorney’s fees and costs,” the dismissal reads.
Peloton resolved a contentious battle among 14 music publishers corralled by the National Music Publishers’ Association back in 2020. The settlement came about after an extremely expensive battle over copyright infringement charges and a countersuit against the NMPA throughout 2020. You can view a copy of the dismissal here.