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This is The Legal Beat, a weekly newsletter about music law from Billboard Pro, offering you a one-stop cheat sheet of big new cases, important rulings and all the fun stuff in between.
This week: Young Thug’s Atlanta prosecutors get really mad over a social media post; Diddy’s sex trafficking case heats up as a trial date looms; Mariah Carey seeks payback after beating a “Christmas” copyright case; and much more.
THE BIG STORY: DA Gets Mad About Young Thug’s Tweets
Less than six months after Young Thug pleaded guilty to gang charges and was sentenced to probation, he found himself facing accusations from Atlanta prosecutors that he had violated his release terms. The issue? A mean tweet.
To rewind: After sitting in jail for more than two years on felony accusations over his “YSL” group, Thug rebuffed a plea deal and simply pleaded guilty in October, winning a sentence of only probation — a humiliating result for the Fulton County District Attorney’s office after the longest-running trial in state history had descended into chaos.
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While Thug avoided prison, he was hit with strict release terms from the judge, who warned him that “there better be no violations.” And on Wednesday (April 2), prosecutors accused him of just such a misstep — citing a social media post on X (formerly Twitter) in which the rapper had criticized an investigator as “the biggest liar in the DA’s office.” They called that post “a blatant disregard for the law” and part of a “a calculated campaign of intimidation.”
Unsurprisingly, Thug’s attorneys disagreed — calling those accusations “baseless” and arguing that the rapper was legally entitled to voice his opinion about the government even while under probation: “Mr. Williams can admit to all of the allegations alleged and still not have violated any term of his probationary sentence.”
When the dust settled Thursday (April 3), Judge Paige Reese Whitaker sided with Thug and declined to revoke his probation. But she also suggested that he be more careful on social media: “While the court does not find that the cited social media post rises to the level of a violation of defendant’s probation, it may be prudent for defendant to exercise restraint regarding certain topics.”
Other top stories this week…
DIDDY CASE HEATS UP – The sweeping sexual abuse case against Sean “Diddy” Combs heated up with the trial looming next month, first with a new superseding indictment that added new legal charges against the star, and then with news that his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura would testify against him at the trial using her real name. Prosecutors argued that the other three alleged victims should remain anonymous, though, citing such treatment in previous cases against R. Kelly and Ghislaine Maxwell.
PRE-TRIAL CLASH – Meanwhile, federal prosecutors and Diddy’s defense attorneys sparred over a crucial pre-trial question: Whether jurors can hear testimony from numerous other accusers beyond the four women at the core of the government’s case. His lawyers say the feds are trying to “pollute the trial with decades of dirt” by adding last-minute “incendiary” claims to paint him as a “bad guy”; the government says Combs is “desperately” trying to keep relevant testimony about his other intent and knowledge “hidden from the jury.”
MARIAH’S REVENGE – After beating a copyright lawsuit over her holiday classic “All I Want for Christmas is You,” Mariah Carey and other defendants demanded that Vince Vance, the little-known songwriter who filed the case, repay more than $180,000 they spent on lawyers defending certain “frivolous” motions. That might sound like a lot for just a few motions, but Carey says she was “perfectly justified” in paying elite lawyers because Vance was seeking drastic remedies like $20 million in damages and the “destruction of all copies” of the song.
DRAKE DISCOVERY – A federal judge ruled that Drake could move forward with discovery in his defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) over Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us,” allowing his attorneys to begin demanding documents like Lamar’s record deal. The ruling went against UMG, which had argued that Drake’s case was so flawed that it would likely be quickly dismissed, making discovery a waste of everyone’s time. But discovery in a civil lawsuit is a two-way street — infamously so in defamation cases — and UMG can now also seek vast swathes of sensitive materials about Drake, including demanding to depose the rapper himself.
HAYES v. TRUMP SURVIVES – A federal judge ruled that President Donald Trump must face a copyright lawsuit filed by the estate of Isaac Hayes over the president’s alleged use of the 1966 song “Hold On, I’m Coming” on the campaign trail. The president’s attorneys had argued that Hayes’ estate had failed to show that it even owned a copyright to the song, but a judge said the estate had done just enough to avoid having the case tossed at the outset.
“NOTHING MISLEADING” – SiriusXM asked a federal judge to dismiss a class action claiming the company earns billions by foisting a deceptive “U.S. Music Royalty Fee” onto subscribers, arguing there had been “nothing misleading” about its pricing and marketing. The lawsuit claims the fee makes the service far more expensive than advertised, but SiriusXM argued that users “received what they paid for” and knew about the fee: “Sirius XM has done exactly what it said it would do: charge a monthly price for music subscriptions, plus ‘fees and taxes’.”
Playboi Carti’s Music album has been a staple on the charts since its arrival in March, and King Vamp returned Tuesday (April 8) to release a visualizer for “Fine Shit.” Set in Miami, Carti comes alive in the 305’s nighttime and throws a turned-up yacht party off the 305 coast with plenty of homies and […]
Manuel Turizo is going on tour, the Colombian superstar announced Monday. The CMN and La Industria Inc-produced stint is set to kick off June 11 in Jalisco, Mexico, and he will tour other Latin American countries like Chile, Costa Rica and Argentina, before launching the North American leg of the trek. “I can’t wait to […]
In just over one year, Ariana Grande released her seventh studio album Eternal Sunshine on March 8, 2024, then starred in the Oscar-winning movie musical Wicked that hit theaters in November, and has now returned with the Brighter Days Ahead deluxe reissue of that album on March 28. On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, […]
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Rapper Real Boston Richey is facing serious legal troubles after being hit with a felony family violence charge.
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According to HipHopDX, the charges stem from a disturbing incident involving his pregnant girlfriend, Tatiana Chanell, which allegedly occurred on March 30 at a nightclub in Houston, Sekai. Tatiana has accused Richey of choking her at least 20 times during the altercation. Video footage of the night, which went viral, shows Richey forcibly taking a phone out of Tatiana’s hand, but the situation reportedly escalated further, leading to the violent assault. In her newly-filed charges, Tatiana claims that the rapper’s actions were far more brutal than what was initially visible in the viral video.
The allegations have put Richey in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, as he was previously gaining momentum in the rap industry with a growing following. Now, his career is at risk, with these serious felony charges threatening to derail his success. The case is currently under investigation, and the rapper has yet to issue a public statement regarding the accusations.
As the legal proceedings continue, this case highlights the issue of domestic violence in the Hip-Hop community, where such allegations often cast a shadow over the artist’s career. The outcome of the case could have significant repercussions not only for Richey’s personal life but also for his professional future in the music industry.
Little Brother have announced that they’ll be hitting the road one last time starting this spring. On Monday, the North Carolina duo comprised of Phonte and Big Pooh announced they’d be hanging up their mics for good, but not without seeing their fans one last time. The pair will embark on a 12-date “Curtain Call” […]
There’s no way of speeding up the time that’s still left before The Weeknd‘s Hurry Up Tomorrow premieres, but some lucky fans will get to see the film a little bit early.
As announced on his social media accounts Tuesday (April 8), the artist born Abel Tesfaye is planning a nationwide one-night-only early fan screening set for 6 p.m. local time May 14, two days before the movie — which serves as a companion project to the star’s album of the same name — officially premieres in theaters. Tickets go on sale April 17.
Those who scoop tickets will be among the first to see Hurry Up Tomorrow. They’ll also get to see exclusive never-before-screen bonus content after the film ends.
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Starring the “Blinding Lights” singer, Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan, Hurry Up Tomorrow tells the story of a fictionalized version of The Weeknd, who — “plagued by insomnia” — becomes wrapped up in an “odyssey with a stranger who begins to unravel the very core of his existence,” according to a description.
Tesfaye previously raved about his costars in a January interview with Variety, gushing, “Jenna brought so much depth to the character … there was a scene where Trey and I looked at each other like, ‘On paper, this is just ridiculous — how is it going to translate on screen?’ And she said, ‘I have an idea.’ She led that whole scene — none of it was rehearsed, and a lot of my reactions in it are not acting.”
“[Barry] was a friend of mine prior to all this, and he was always number one on my list for his role,” he continued at the time. “What makes him different from Jenna is that his talent is so raw, it just comes so naturally to him.”
The film also serves as a good-bye to Tesfaye’s The Weeknd alias, which he confirmed he’d be retiring in the Variety interview following his Hurry Up Tomorrow album era. Released in February, the LP debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and follows 2020’s After Hours and 2022’s Dawn FM in a now-complete album trilogy.
Shortly before the film hits theaters, Tesfaye will hit the road on his After Hours Til Dawn Tour kicking off May 9 in Phoenix.
See the fan screening event announcement below.
Legendary Seattle rock club The Crocodile is opening its new waterfront concert series with the spooky guitar sounds of Hermanos Gutiérrez. Oodalalee: Concerts at Pier 62 will take place at Seattle’s Waterfront Park, south of the famous Pike Place market and managed by the non-profit Friends of Waterfront Park. Oodalalee marks the first large-scale, ticketed […]
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With smash hits like “Adam’s Song,” “What’s My Age Again?” and “The Rock Show,” Blink-182 has been creating iconic cultural moments for more than 30 years. Now, bassist, singer and founding member Mark Hoppus is telling his true punk rock story in a new memoir.
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On sale for $22.75 (reg. $32.50) on Amazon, Fahrenheit-182: A Humorous and Inspirational Memoir by Mark Hoppus of Blink-182, Uncover the Life of a Musician Who Never Gave Up chronicles Hoppus’ early days growing up as a latchkey kid during the ’80s, starting the skate punk band Blink-182 with Tom DeLonge during the ’90s and battling cancer during the 2020s.
If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can order now and Fahrenheit-182 will be delivered to your home in less than two days once it’s released, thanks to Prime Delivery.
Not a member? Sign up for a 30-day free trial to take advantage of all that Amazon Prime has to offer, including access to Prime Video, Prime Gaming and Amazon Photos; fast free shipping in less than two days with Prime Delivery; in-store discounts at Whole Foods Market; access to exclusive shopping events — such as Prime Day and Black Friday — and much more. Learn more about Amazon Prime and its benefits here.
The memoir is also available at BookShop.org for $30.23 (reg. $32.50), while Fahrenheit-182 is buyable at Barnes & Noble priced at $29.50 (reg. $32.50).
Dey Street Books
‘Fahrenheit-182’
by Mark Hoppus with Dan Ozzi
$22.75
$32.50
30% off
$14.99
$32.50
54% off
In addition, Fahrenheit-182 is available as an Audible audiobook, which is only $0.99 for subscribers only.
If you’re not a subscriber, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial. But right now, Audible has a new promotion, which gives new subscribers three months of service for just $0.99 per month. You’ll receive one credit for any audiobook on Audible, including Fahrenheit-182. But act fast and sign up now, this deal ends on Wednesday, April 30.
Throughout his career in music, Mark Hoppus has been nominated for one Grammy Award for best rock album for Blink-182’s 2016 record, California.
Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
GEMA revenue rose 4% to €1.33 billion in 2024 ($1.44 billion, according to an average annual exchange rate), the German collecting society announced Tuesday (April 8). The organization also said it’s distributing €1.13 billion ($1.22 billion) to rightsholders, the third consecutive year in which that number has exceeded the billion-euro mark. It reduced its cost ratio modestly, from 15.2% to 14.9%.
Last year “was marked by geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty, and disruptive technological developments,” GEMA CEO Tobias Holzmüller said in a statement released with the results. “In this environment, GEMA demonstrated stability — financially, organizationally, and culturally.”
The live concert business segment is growing especially fast, with revenue rising almost 17% to €194.9 million ($210.9 million). Public performance revenue as a whole — i.e., revenue from compositions played in public places, including concerts but also stores or restaurants — rose 13.1% to €502 million ($543.3 million). That’s GEMA’s biggest category of revenue, with growth fueled largely by Germany’s live concert boom.
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GEMA’s second biggest source of revenue was online, which came in at €310.1 million ($335.6 million), down very slightly from €310.3 million ($335.8 million). Online generally shows more growth, but the way collecting societies book revenue makes it hard to draw any conclusions from this. Revenue from the use of music on radio and TV increased 1.2% to €308.4 million ($333.8 million).
International revenue increased to €87.8 million ($95 million), up 6.9%. Revenue from statutory remuneration rights, which consists mostly of levies on blank media and computer memory, as well as legal settlements, fell to €58.6 million ($63.4 million) — down significantly from 2023, when retroactive remuneration claims were settled — or about the 2022 level. Mechanical royalties from physical media, such as CDs and vinyl records, should increase 2.2% to €45.7 million ($49.5 million).
For the past few years, since the pandemic, the major European collecting societies have experienced substantial growth — partly because they took in less during the pandemic and partly because of the subsequent boom in concert attendance. This year, growth is expected to return to normal, and that seems to be the case with GEMA’s results. It will be interesting to see if its rival societies fare better, or whether overall growth will return to a slow, gradual climb.