Flo Milli, the rising star in the music industry, is currently embroiled in a significant copyright lawsuit concerning her acclaimed 2023 track “Never Lose Me.” This legal battle arises from allegations that she utilized a beat that had been exclusively licensed to a Baltimore-based artist four years prior. This controversy highlights the complexities and challenges artists face regarding intellectual property rights in the highly competitive landscape of the music industry.
On Friday, June 27, 2023, the lawsuit specifically targets Flo Milli, whose real name is Tamia Monique Carter, for her successful song “Never Lose Me,” which impressively reached No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Additionally, it involves the Detroit rap artists Babyface Ray, known as Marcellus Rayvon Register, and 42 Dugg, whose real name is Dion Marquise Hayes, due to their collaboration on the track “Ron Artest,” which Milli allegedly sampled for her own song. This case underscores the importance of sampling and the legal implications it can carry in modern music production.
The individual bringing the lawsuit, Shamar Deal, identifies himself as a songwriter and recording artist based in Baltimore, Maryland. He asserts that both “Never Lose Me” and “Ron Artest” infringe upon his exclusive rights to a beat titled “Youu,” created by the producer Gerreaux Katana. This situation brings to light the ongoing issues regarding the ownership of musical compositions and how exclusive licenses are interpreted and enforced within the industry.
According to the details outlined in the lawsuit, Deal purchased the beat “Youu” from Katana through the rap instrumental marketplace Traktrain back in 2019. He claims that he was granted an exclusive license for the beat, which was meant to remain in effect for a span of 10 years. This agreement raises questions about the validity and enforceability of such licenses, particularly when multiple parties are involved in the creation of contemporary music.
However, the lawsuit alleges that Katana violated their agreement in 2023 by re-licensing “Youu” to both Babyface Ray and 42 Dugg, who subsequently used it as the foundational element for their collaboration “Ron Artest.” Deal contends that Flo Milli then sampled the Detroit rappers’ track for her own hit “Never Lose Me,” thereby committing a further infringement on his rights. This case serves as a critical reminder of the potential legal ramifications artists face when incorporating others’ works into their own music.
“As the plaintiff currently holds the exclusive rights to the composition, the incorporation of this composition into both ‘Ron Artest’ and ‘Never Lose Me’ constitutes a clear case of copyright infringement against Deal’s exclusive rights in the composition track,” stated Deal’s attorney, Larry Zerner. “Deal is pursuing this lawsuit to seek damages for the infringement of his copyright rights.” This statement emphasizes the seriousness and complexity of copyright law and its implications for artists in the music sector.
Deal is seeking a substantial amount of at least $1 million from Flo Milli, Babyface Ray, 42 Dugg, and Katana. He has also included EMPIRE and Sony Music Entertainment as defendants in this case, claiming that these companies distributed the two contested tracks. The inclusion of major labels highlights the potential impact of this lawsuit on the broader music industry and the importance of proper licensing and rights management.
“Never Lose Me” has proven to be a commercial success, achieving remarkable chart positions in both 2023 and 2024. It ascended to No. 2 on Billboard’s Rhythmic Airplay chart, No. 5 on the Hot Rap Songs chart, No. 6 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and No. 7 on the Streaming Songs chart. This track’s performance accentuates the competitive nature of today’s music market and the potential consequences of legal disputes on an artist’s career.
The track has amassed an impressive total of 947.5 million on-demand official streams globally, with 531.3 million of those streams originating from the United States, as reported by data from Luminate. This level of engagement reflects the immense popularity of “Never Lose Me” and raises questions about how copyright issues might affect the song’s continued success and the artist’s reputation in the industry.
Billboard reached out to all defendants or their representatives for comments regarding the lawsuit on that Friday, but unfortunately, no immediate responses were received. This lack of response from the parties involved could indicate the sensitivity of the situation and the complexities of navigating legal challenges in the music industry.
