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ST. LOUIS (CN) – Rapper Dutch Jackson says ESPN, Amazon.com and others used his song “I Am the Greatest” without permission to push their own products. Jackson also sued The Basketball Marketing Co. dba AND1, and Hastings Entertainment dba goHastings.com, in Federal Court. Michael “Dutch” Jackson claim the media giants used his song “to market, promote and sell their basketball shoes, sports apparel, digital video discs, television programs, websites, and other products for their own commercial advantage and profit, and to increase their name recognition and brand value.” Jackson says he had written and recorded the song but had not yet released it when the defendants used it without permission. “Defendants and those acting by, through and under them have used the plaintiffs’ work to market and sell literally millions of dollars of products, without compensation to the plaintiff,” the complaint states. Jackson seeks disgorgement and punitive damages for copyright infringement and violations of the Lanham Act. He is represented by Charles Kramer with Riezman Berger.
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