French Montana is officially the winner of a six-year lawsuit brought about by producer Eddie Lee Richardson. The Chicago native, who goes by Hotwire The Producer, accused the Moroccan rapper of illegally sampling his instrumental cut "Hood Pushin’ Weight." Richardson claimed that Montana directly copied it for his 2013 hit "Ain’t Worried About Nothin'."
But even though this is going in win column for French, it sounds like he barely got away with it. Per Billboard, Judge Candace Jackson-Akiwumi said, "We agree with Richardson that HPW’s beat, to the naked ear, seems indistinguishable from the beat in AWAN. Yet, opinions and allegations unsupported by facts are not enough."
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit came to this ruling on Thursday, October 17.
A lower judge last year had a similar take on the two instrumentals. "If it is any consolation, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."
So why did Richardson lose if they were so similar to the "naked ear?" Unfortunately, he secured the incorrect copyright registration.
French Montana Dubai Princess
Instead of the musical composition, Richardson presented one to the court for the sound recording. As the outlet writes, "Under U.S. copyright law, such recordings are only infringed if they are directly copied, or sampled, in a new track."
They continue, "Not when a new artist merely imitates their musical elements in a new record."
Judge Jackson-Akiwumi added, "Richardson could have presented either direct or indirect evidence to succeed in his claim that [Montana] duplicated HPW in producing AWAN. Richardson has presented neither."
Unfortunately, Richardson goes home an unhappy customer, but not French.
On top of this victory, he's also doing well in the life department. His rep told TMZ in late August that he got engaged to Sheikha Mahra, the Princess of Dubai. At the time of writing, details about their wedding such as a date, location, and etc. are unknown.
Prior to this news, they had been rumored to be an item since last year.
