Posted: July 30, 2019, 5:00 PM | Category:General Artist Tags: FLAME Source: Staff Reports DL
This week a Los Angeles jury unanimously ruled that pop superstar Katy Perry "improperly copied" Christian rapper Flame's song "Joyful Noise" with her 2013 hit "Dark Horse." Marcus Gray (AKA Flame) first filed the lawsuit back in 2014.
The song "Joyful Noise," featuring Lecrae and John Reily, was a colossal hit for Flame back in 2008 when it was released. When Katy Perry released "Dark Horse" in 2013, there were those close to Christian hip-hop that believed it sounded similar to "Joyful Noise." However, when Flame filed his lawsuit in 2014, he had several detractors (including Perry and her team) who denied that a top mainstream artist would ever take from someone whom they had never heard of.
Fast forward to 2019 and, after hearing arguments on both sides, the case has been settled with the jury determining that plagiarism has indeed taken place. Although Dr. John and Max Martin produced the Katy Perry song, she, Juicy J and two other songwriters have all been found liable.
Although no amount of damages has been announced yet as the case is currently in a "penalty phase," the case has already sent shockwaves throughout the music industry this week.
