Chris Brown
Greensleeves Publishing Ltd has reached a settlement to end the copyright infringement lawsuit it filed against Chris Brown and his label Sony Music Entertainment, DancehallMag has learned.
The lawsuit, which was filed in a New York District Court in July 2021, alleged that Brown’s song Privacy (2017) intentionally ripped off lyrics and rhythms from Red Rat’s song Tight Up Skit (1997).
Greensleeves, which was acquired by VP Records in 2008, had sought over $1,500,000 USD in damages, profits, and interest in the original complaint.
In a letter to the court, filed today (September 8), Greensleeves, Brown and Sony advised Judge Robert W. Lehrburger that they “have reached a settlement in principle, which fully resolves the matter.”
Details of the settlement agreement, including financial terms, were not disclosed.
Judge Lehrburger has granted a period of 45 days for the three parties to finalize the settlement’s paperwork, the court records show.
Tight Up Skirt was produced by Andrew ‘Buccaneer‘ Bradford on his Mad Lion Riddim, which included other songs like Goofy’s Buff Bay, Ghost’s Mixup Situation, and Buccaneer’s Plenty More Gal. The song later appeared on Red Rat’s album Oh No… It’s Red Rat, which was released by Greensleeves in 1997.
Red Rat’s attorney-at-law Merrick Dammar previously told DancehallMag that the lawsuit had been filed without his client’s knowledge or permission. They offered no comment on the settlement when contacted today.
Bradford, who is known for his own hit songs like Bruk Out, Tek It Easy, How Can She Forget, was also caught by surprise when DancehallMag contacted him about the lawsuit last year.