In a landmark copyright verdict, legendary hip-hop group 2 Live Crew has successfully regained control of their music catalog through copyright "termination rights." A federal jury in Florida ruled in favor of the group, allowing them to reclaim ownership of their works from Lil Joe Records, which had purchased the catalog during bankruptcy proceedings in 1996.

The victory enables Uncle Luke (Luther Campbell) and the heirs of Fresh Kid Ice (Christopher Wong Won) and Brother Marquis (Mark Ross) to regain control of five albums, including their controversial 1989 release "As Nasty As They Wanna Be."

The case hinged on copyright termination rights, which allow creators to reclaim their works after 35 years. Lil Joe Records argued the catalog was "work for hire" and therefore exempt from termination rights, but the jury rejected this claim, affirming that termination rights are "inalienable."

The verdict sets a significant precedent for artists seeking to regain control of their work, particularly in cases involving bankruptcy sales. Lil Joe Records plans to appeal, citing concerns about the intersection of termination rights and federal bankruptcy law.

The dispute began in 2020 when 2 Live Crew initiated the termination process, leading to Lil Joe's federal lawsuit after failed negotiations.

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