Lawsuit accuses 50 cent of copyright infringement

KNIGHT RIDDER TRIBUNE
RAPPER 50 CENT'S HIT "IN DA CLUB" MAY LAND HIM IN DA COURTROOM DEFENDING HIS LYRICS AGAINST A LAWSUIT CLAIMING HE RIPPED OFF A HIT SONG OF FORMER 2 LIVE CREW FRONTMAN LUTHER CAMPBELL.
THE COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT LAWSUIT FILED IN MIAMI FEDERAL COURT LAST WEEK CLAIMS THAT PART OF "IN DA CLUB," WHICH CURTIS JACKSON, A K A 50 CENT, RELEASED IN 2003, WAS TAKEN FROM CAMPBELL'S SONG "IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY," WHICH WAS ON CAMPBELL'S 1994 SOLO ALBUM TITLED "STILL A FREAK FOR LIFE."
"IN DA CLUB" STARTS OFF, "GO, GO, GO, GO. GO, GO, GO SHORTY. IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY. WE'RE GONNA PARTY LIKE IT'S YO BIRTHDAY." CAMPBELL'S SONG STATES, "GO, DERRICK [THEN SEVERAL OTHER NAMES], IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY. GO, DERRICK, IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY. GO FREDDIE, GO, GO, GO. GO FREDDIE, GO, GO, GO. IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY."
IT'S NOT CAMPBELL WHO'S SUING 50 CENT BUT THE LAWYER WHO HELPED PUSH CAMPBELL INTO BANKRUPTCY.