Feminem $ees Green – Record Label Lawsuit Finally Goes To Trial!

Eminem is spearheading a lawsuit that could be bringing artists a hefty payday in the near future! The rapper, who slapped Universal Music Group with a lawsuit 2 years ago regarding the royalties of digital downloads, is going to court over the dispute today! The debate is whether song downloads should fall under the category of a licensing deal or a distribution deal. A licensing deal would split the profits 50/50 between the record label and artist, while the current distribution deal in play only provides the artist with less than 20 cents per download! Multiply those figures by a couple hundred thousand, and you’ll end up with a large amount of $$$ missing!! Feminem’s lawyers are claiming digital downloads should fall under “traditional licensing agreements”, which would bring the rapper over $1.3 million dollars in royalties dating back to 1998. His lawyers are counting on using the wording of distribution agreements between Universal and digital music distributors, such as Apple/iTunes who used the phrase “license rights to distribute music from others” in their terms with the record group. Jimmy Iovine , founder of Interscope (a Universal subsidiary and home to Fem), is expected to testify in person while Steve Jobs , CEO of Apple, is expected testify via video chat. Fem will be absent from the trial. Boring! If Eminem & Co. win the lawsuit, this would mean some giant checks will be made out to the artists under Universal, including Jay-Z , U2 , and Kanye West ! [ Image via WENN .]

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Feminem $ees Green – Record Label Lawsuit Finally Goes To Trial!