Outkast Sue EDM Duo ATLiens for Trademark Infringement

Excessive Schoolers LLC, a trademark holding firm managed by Outkast’s André 3000 and Large Boi, has filed a federal lawsuit in opposition to the Atlanta digital dance music duo ATLiens. Within the lawsuit, obtained by Pitchfork, attorneys for the LLC declare that Outkast coined the time period “ATLiens,” and that they’ve utilized it and owned the trademark for it since 1996. The EDM duo, the attorneys declare, has infringed on the Outkast trademark and been utilizing the trademark with out authorization.

Within the grievance, the attorneys say that the band ATLiens registered for his or her trademark in 2020, claiming that they’d used the title since 2012—lengthy after the 1996 launch of Outkast’s beloved second studio album, ATLiens. The attorneys argue that the competing trademark “is stopping Plaintiff [High Schoolers LLC] from with the ability to receive registrations for its senior ATLIENS mark.”

Additionally they allege that the duo selected its title “to commerce upon the large fame and goodwill related to Plaintiff’s ATLIENS album, tune, and mark, or, at a minimal, to name to shoppers’ minds Plaintiff’s well-known ATLIENS album, tune, and mark.”

By means of the lawsuit, the LLC and its attorneys are asking the Georgia federal courtroom to stop the band ATLiens from utilizing the “ATLiens” trademark. They’re additionally asking for the cancellation of the duo’s competing trademark, amongst different requests.

When reached by Pitchfork, attorneys Abigail J. Remore and Peter E. Nussbaum shared the next assertion on behalf of Excessive Schoolers LLC and André 3000: “It is a fundamental model safety concern. Efforts to resolve this matter amicably had been sadly unsuccessful and Outkast due to this fact needed to file swimsuit in an effort to shield the dear title and trademark ATLIENS that it created and has constantly used for almost 30 years.”

Pitchfork has additionally emailed an legal professional for ATLiens Touring Inc. for remark.

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