Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) faces a copyright infringement lawsuit over Mary J. Blige's 1992 hit 'Real Love,' with Tuff City Records claiming unauthorized use of a sample from the Honey Drippers' 1973 funk song "Impeach the President."

Photo Credit: Condé Nast / Vogue Taiwan / CC by 3.0

Key Details of the Lawsuit:

• Filed on April 4 in Manhattan federal court
• Mary J. Blige is not named as a defendant
• UMG Recordings has already reached an agreement for the master recording
• UMPG has allegedly refused to negotiate for the underlying composition rights

Background on "Impeach the President":

• Released in 1973 by the Honey Drippers
• Features a widely sampled drum break
• Used by numerous artists including 2Pac, Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre, Run-DMC, and Doja Cat

Tuff City Records' Legal History:

• Previously sued multiple artists including Jay-Z, Christina Aguilera, Beastie Boys, and Frank Ocean
• Filed one of the first sampling lawsuits in 1991 against Sony Music and Def Jam
• Lost a case against Beastie Boys in 2018, ordered to repay legal fees

The current lawsuit highlights ongoing issues in music sampling rights and licensing, particularly in cases where different entities control master recording and publishing rights.

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