Roddy Ricch has won a copyright infringement lawsuit concerning his hit song "The Box," which has garnered over 1.8 billion Spotify streams. The case was dismissed with prejudice by Federal Judge Analisa Torres.

The lawsuit, initially filed by California musician Greg Perry (now represented by Peabody & Company following Perry's passing), claimed unauthorized use of elements from the 1975 track "Come On Down" in "The Box."

Judge Torres ruled that "no reasonable jury could find that the works are substantially similar" based on the ordinary observer test. She noted fundamental differences between the works:

• "Come On Down" is a soul song with a melodic tune
• "The Box" is a hip-hop song delivered in a monotone rap

The court addressed specific elements claimed to be copied, including:

• A two-chord progression
• An instrumental melody with an ascending scale played as a glissando

These elements were deemed "not protectable as a matter of law." The ruling cited Ed Sheeran's recent victory over Structured Asset Sales as precedent.

The judge concluded that the musical composition of "Come On Down" differs from "The Box" in all components where the plaintiff claimed similarity, failing to demonstrate copying of any protectable portion under the fragmented literal similarity test.

This victory comes as Roddy Ricch prepares to release his third studio album in 2024, while similar copyright cases continue in the industry, including recent suits against Travis Scott and Ice Spice.

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