Days ago, we reported on Katy Perry and Capitol Records being found guilty of copyright infringement. After reaching a verdict, the nine-person jury had to decide on the monetary compensation for Christian rapper Flame and his co-writers Emanuel Lambert and Chike Ojukwuhis, and it was a large number, indeed.
Flame, real name Marcus Gray, sued Perry and her collaborators, accusing them of snaking the beat from his single, "Joyful Noise," to create the chart-topping hit song, "Dark Horse." Perry's song was produced by Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and Cirkut, yet according to Perry, she's never heard Flame's track. However, many called foul on Perry's denials because of her involvement in the Christian music arena before she became famous.
The Associated Press reports that the jury has awarded Flame a $2.78 million judgment, and of that amount, Perry will be responsible for a little over $550K and Capitol Records will have to cough up the remainder of the cash. However, The Hollywood Reporter notes that Perry's lawyers are disputing the judgment and it could be lessened if their motion is granted.
Meanwhile, a couple of millions of dollars may be a *cha-ching* for some, but it's far less than what Flame was seeking. The rapper wanted Perry and her label to pay upwards of $20 million, while her attorneys thought $360K seemed sufficient. Check out the tracks below and let us know whether or not "Dark Horse" copied "Joyful Noise" and if it's worth the judgment.
