5th Circuit Rules in Rappers' Battle Over Phrase "Back That Ass Up"

As often happens in the hip-hop world, two rappers became embroiled in a dispute over who owned the rights to a song that utilized a popular phrase. And it took the musical ear of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to settle the matter.

Positive Black Talk Inc., et al. v. Cash Money Records, et al. plunged the conservative appellate court into the world of booming bass lines and popular street slang. Chief Judge Carolyn Dineen King, who wrote the opinion, boiled the case down to a dispute between Louisiana rappers Juvenile and D.J. Jubilee over who owned the rights to a song "that included the poetic four-word phrase 'back that ass up.'"

In a nutshell: Juvenile won. Read the whole article here.

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Posted by Lawren at January 26, 2005 06:32 AM

You Said

Funny. Funny, funny, funny.

Says: Kevin the Interloper at January 26, 2005 09:06 AM

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I have visions of Barbara Billingsley telling the judge that, "I speak jive"

Says: at January 26, 2005 10:33 AM

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