Cardi B Wins Copyright Lawsuit

Cardi B is celebrating another major win in court! A federal judge has officially dismissed a hefty $50 million copyright infringement lawsuit filed against the Grammy-winning rapper. This latest legal victory adds to her ongoing success in defending her work.

The Case Against ‘Enough (Miami)’

The lawsuit, brought forth by a group called Kemikal 956 (comprising Joshua Fraustro and Miguel Aguilar), accused Cardi B’s 2024 hit single ‘Enough (Miami)’ of unauthorized sampling. The plaintiffs claimed that the song used elements from their obscure 2021 instrumental track, ‘Greasy Frybread,’ alleging that the bass line and percussion patterns were strikingly similar to their work.

However, the court found that the musical elements in question were too common to warrant copyright protection. U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. ultimately ruled in favor of Cardi B and her label, Atlantic Records, citing significant procedural failures by the plaintiffs.

Key Reasons for Dismissal

The judge’s decision hinged on several critical points. Firstly, the court determined there was a lack of personal jurisdiction over Cardi B and her labels, as they are not primarily based in Texas, where the lawsuit was filed. Her national tour stops in the state were not considered sufficient grounds for legal jurisdiction.

More importantly, the plaintiffs had not secured a federal copyright registration for ‘Greasy Frybread’ at the time of filing. This procedural misstep invalidated their original claim under federal law. Attempts to reframe the case under Texas state law were also dismissed, as they were preempted by the Federal Copyright Act.

Continuing the Fight Against Tasha K

This victory comes as Cardi B continues her pursuit of collecting a nearly $4 million defamation judgment awarded to her against blogger Tasha K in 2022. Despite Tasha K’s attempts to use bankruptcy and offshore operations to avoid payment, Cardi B’s legal team remains aggressive in pursuing her assets, seeking information on wire transfers and offshore earnings.