In a landmark verdict, 2 Live Crew has successfully regained control of their music catalog through copyright termination rights. The federal jury in Florida ruled in favor of the hip-hop group against Lil Joe Records, which had purchased their catalog during bankruptcy proceedings in 1996.

The verdict allows Uncle Luke (Luther Campbell) and the heirs of Fresh Kid Ice (Christopher Wong Won) and Brother Marquis (Mark Ross) to reclaim rights to five albums, including their controversial 1989 release "As Nasty As They Wanna Be."

The case hinged on copyright "termination rights," which permit creators to reclaim their works approximately 35 years after selling them. Lil Joe Records argued the catalog was "work for hire" and therefore exempt from termination rights, but the jury rejected this claim, affirming that termination rights are inalienable.

The case began in 2020 when 2 Live Crew notified Lil Joe of their intent to invoke termination rights. After failed negotiations, Lil Joe sued the group in federal court. The label's representatives plan to appeal, citing concerns about the relationship between termination rights and federal bankruptcy law.

This verdict could set a significant precedent for other artists seeking to regain control of their musical works through copyright termination rights.

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