Jay Z, whose actual identify is Shawn Carter, appeared calm all through his hour-and-a-half testimony on the second day of the trial at D.R. District courtroom in Los Angeles, saying he had assumed his producer Timbaland had created the important thing refrain melody in “Big Pimpin'”.
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In the Jay Z case it’s claimed Sean Carter, Jay Z’s real name, and Timothy “Timbaland” Mosley didn’t pay for using a sample from Khosara, Khosara, which was released in 1957.
His lawyer told jurors he initially used elements of Hamdi’s work thinking it was royalty-free but later secured the appropriate rights.
Mr Fahmy’s lawyer Peter Ross claimed Jay Z had purposefully avoided asking permission because they knew it wouldn’t be granted because of the risque lyrics used on Big Pimpin’. Jay Z said he put his coat down and the two rappers recorded most of the song that night.
See footage of Jay Z and Timbaland leaving the court below.
Lawyer Andrew Bart argued that the explicit lyrics of Big Pimpin’ should not be discussed in relation to the lawsuit, as a depiction of the words as “vulgar” and “disgusting” could prejudice the jury against Jay Z.
He tells me his beats are better than my raps.
In his opening statement Tuesday, Fahmy’s lawyer said that according to Egyptian law, Jay Z and Timbaland had an obligation to get direct approval from Hamdi – or presumably his estate – before overlaying the looped sample with “vulgar and demeaning” lyrics. Ross argues that the “moral rights” of Hamdi would require both the artist and producer to seek permission from the composer before profiting off his work.
Timbaland said he had never been contacted by Osama Ahmed Fahmy, Hamdy’s nephew, who filed the initial complaint, before the lawsuit. I tell him my raps are better than his beats. “Restaurants and nightclubs… I think that about covers it”, said Jay Z.
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The producers paid $100,000 to EMI Music Arabia to acquire the license.
