Back in 2010, 9 months after been released from prison, Freeway Ricky Ross sued rapper Rick Ross aka William Roberts II for using his name. Freeway Ricky Ross filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Ross in a California Federal Court. Even Jay-Z was called to testify in the lawsuit, as he was CEO of Def Jam at the time when Ross was signed. The former drug kingpin was looking for a whopping 10 million dollars in the lawsuit and was also threatening to block the release of the “Teflon Don” album . The lawsuit was later thrown out of court on July 3.
“Freeway” Ricky Ross, is a convicted drug trafficker best known for the “drug empire” that he built in Los Angeles, in the early 1980s.The nickname “Freeway” came from Ross’s ownership of several properties along the Harbor Freeway. His old house he grew up in is where a freeway now stands. During the height of his drug dealing, Ross claims to have made $2 million in one day.
After failing the first time to sue Rick Ross for 10 million, Freeway Ricky has new legal representation in law firm Manatt Phelps & Phillips, LLP. This time his team will sue on a state level when they present their case on May 2.
“We always knew our case was stronger in the state than it was in the feds,” Ross told BET. “California state law really protects people with their names and their likenesses. So we knew that was stronger inside California than it was in the feds, but we wanted to go the big route first then work our way down.” He countines “We’re both teaching two different messages,” Ross said “He’s teaching my old life: sell drugs, disrespect women, all the things that really have our country in shambles. I’m teaching uplifting values, education, literacy. He’s teaching illiteracy,”
Meanwhile Rick Rozay has enjoyed a good start to 2011, signing rappers Wale, Meek Millz , Pill and R&B singer Teeda Moses to his Maybach Music Group the record label he founded in 2008 with Def Jam Records and after a lenghtly bidding war in February he later signed the label to Warner Bros. Records. This May 24 Pill , Wale, Meek Millz and Rick Ross are releasing “Self Made” the first album in the era of Maybach Music Group . Last month saw Ross kick off the I Am Still Music Tour along with Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj and Travis Barker the tour runs until the end of this month.
Do you think Freeway Ricky Ross should drop the case and be thankful that Rozay is keeping the name “Rick Ross” going. Or do you think the Maybach Music founder doesn’t have the right to use another man’s name? Rap Ireland will keep you posted with how this case turns out.
