The New Zealand Supreme Court has refused to grant the rapper Eminem’s music publisher (‘Eight Mile Style’), an appeal to increase the amount of damages already awarded for copyright infringement by the New Zealand Nationalist Party.
In 2014, the American rapper and actor sued the New National Party for using his song
“Lose Yourself” in its campaign. As Eminem had spoken against the rising racial tension under the Trump campaign in 2017, the use of “Lose Yourself” by the Nationalist Party probably did not sit well personally with the artist.
In 2017, the Wellington High Court held that the National Party had infringed Eminem’s copyright by producing the song called “Eminem Esque”. Subsequently, the Party was ordered to pay the artist $412,896. However, an appeal court later reduced this amount.
Eight Mile Style felt that the damages were too low and argued that the lower courts had erred in their handling of both sides’ evidence. Nevertheless, the New Zealand Supreme Court felt the appeal was unwarranted, as there was lack of sufficient prospect of it succeeding.
Article by Fatima Amedu
