Lil Wayne Legally Threatened Over "New Dirty Bastard" Trademark: Report

BYAron A.6.3K Views
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Recording artist Lil Wayne attends Neiman Marcus x Young Money Launch at Neiman Marcus Beverly Hills on February 16, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California.

Lil Wayne could face a lawsuit from Ol' Dirty Bastard's family over "New Dirty Bastard" trademark.

Back in June, Lil Wayne reportedly filed documents to trademark the name, "New Dirty Bastard." The exact reason why the rapper filed documents to trademark the name was unclear but it was said to be for the purposes of music production and entertainment ventures. The name is obviously derived from the late Wu-Tang Clan member, Ol' Dirty Bastard. The late rapper's daughter and the attorney for their estate said they were willing to speak to Weezy and Young Money on a "artistic level" before proceeding with it. However, it seems like they've pulled the plug on Wayne's trademark attempt entirely.

According to TheBlast, Lil Wayne was legally threatened by Ol' Dirty Bastard's estate over trademarking "New Dirty Bastard." In a legal letter that was sent to Wayne, the estate said they own the “full right, title, and interest in and to the name and likeness” of anything related to Ol' Dirty Bastard. It also said that the "Estate will be forced to take appropriate legal action” if Young Money doesn't pull out from registering the name. They believe registering "New Dirty Bastard" is a violation of the trademark law. 

In the letter, it states that if Wayne trademarks "New Dirty Bastard," it'll cause confusion among fans and they want the trademark applications withdrawn instantly. They also want Wayne and Young Money to scrap whatever plans they had for "New Dirty Bastard."

Apparently, ODB's family has been working to release new projects and products related to the late rapper and they feel the "New Dirty Bastard" trademark will cause damage. In addition, ODB's family members reportedly reached out to Wayne for clarification on the name's use but never received a call back.

Members of ODB's family said they will "not stand" for anyone disrespecting or capitalizing off of Ol' Dirty Bastard's legacy. 


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.