‘Freeway’ Ricky Ross Vs. William Roberts (Rick Ross)

via MiamiNewTimes.com:

Former drug dealer, Los Angeles-based Ricky “Freeway” Ross, has been threatening Miami rapper Rick Ross with a lawsuit for a while. But this past Friday his attorney, Melvin Sharpe Jr., finally filed the paperwork in the Los Angeles federal district court.

The premise of the lawsuit is that  ex-drug dealer Rick Ross is being unfairly deprived of profiting off his image, thanks to the popularity of rapper Rick Ross. In compensation, dealer Ross seeks to prevent the release of rapper Ross’ upcoming new album, Teflon Don, as well as half of all of rapper Ross’ gross royalties, and further damages, totaling at least $10 million.

The complaint itself is , 60-plus pages (the average trademark infringement lawsuit is, oh, six to 10). Then there is the equally long number of defendants. The list includes not only rapper Rick Ross (under his real name, William Leonard Roberts II), but also, as entities, all the labels on which rapper Ross has released music: his own Maybach Music Group, as well as Def Jam Recordings, Universal Music Group, and Slip N Slide Records.

Also a defendant: “Shawn Carter, an individual known as Jay-Z, individually, and as the former President of Def Jam Music.” Jigga, the complaint says, should have known better than to let rapper Rick Ross infringe on dealer Ross’ trademark — which, the complaint admits, nobody tried to actually register until long after rapper Ross had gotten started in music.  For more on this story log on to Thisis50.com