In a landmark verdict, legendary hip-hop group 2 Live Crew has won back control of their music catalog through copyright termination rights. A federal jury in Florida ruled in favor of the group, allowing them and their heirs to reclaim ownership of five albums, including their controversial 1989 release "As Nasty As They Wanna Be."

The case centered on copyright "termination rights," which allow creators to reclaim their works 35 years after selling them to another company. Lil Joe Records, which acquired the catalog during 2 Live Crew's 1996 bankruptcy, argued the music was "work for hire" and thus exempt from termination rights. However, the jury rejected this argument, affirming that termination rights are "inalienable."

The verdict benefits Uncle Luke (Luther Campbell) and the heirs of Fresh Kid Ice (Christopher Wong Won) and Brother Marquis (Mark Ross). Lil Joe Records' owner and legal team have announced plans to appeal, citing concerns about the interaction between termination rights and bankruptcy law.

This decision could set a significant precedent for other artists seeking to regain control of their musical works through copyright termination rights. The case began in 2020 when 2 Live Crew initiated the termination process, leading to Lil Joe Records filing a federal lawsuit when negotiations failed.

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