Not happy: Eminem is taking New Zealand’s National Party to court for using one of his songs in their election campaign. Picture: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images. Source: Getty Images
HE MADE his name in rap battles, now Eminem is set to take on New Zealand’s governing party in court.
The superstar rapper is suing the National Party for allegedly using his track Lose Yourself in its election campaign ads without permission in a case set to head to court next week.
The National Party has flatly rejected the allegation, with campaign manager Steven Joyce saying in September he thought the use of the song was “pretty legal”.
“We think these guys are just having a crack and have a bit of an eye for the main chance because it’s an election campaign,” he told reporters at the time.
Eminem’s Eight Mile Style is seeking damages for copyright infringement. Source: Supplied
Trying to stay Zen: The song helped Prime Minster John Key get re-elected last year. Picture: Photo by Michael Bradley/Getty Images. Source: Getty Images
Eminem’s Detroit-based publishers Eight Mile Style and the National Party will have their first date in the High Court at Wellington next Friday, it’s been confirmed.
Eight Mile Style is seeking damages for copyright infringement. They claim “unauthorised use has been made of Eminem’s Grammy and Academy Award winning song, Lose Yourself, in election campaign advertising run by the National Party in the lead up to the 2014 New Zealand General Election”.
Spokesman for the publishers, Joel Martin, said in September that Eminem was never approached for permission to use his work in National’s rowing-themed election ads, which featured backing music similar to the riff of Lose Yourself.
