Industry Liabilities

The evolution of Aubrey Graham vs. the Superstar Drake

Jas Prince, the person responsible for introducing Drake to his Young Money family. Is at the center of a very messy lawsuit. Prince is battling Cortez Bryant whom he made a verbal agreement with to persuade Drake into signing a deal with young money and they together splitting the profits. Now that Drake has had much success Prince is stating that he has not received any profits in which he is owed. Bryant is the manager for rapper Lil Wayne and also part of the Young Money record label family.

Due to this verbal agreement they have not only forced other parties to become involved such as Drakes co-managers, label, but Prince and Bryant now have their own company’s business at jeopardy. This is a classic situation I think of an artist trusting people to lead them to opportunity without being aware or clear on what opportunity that person is seeking as well. Now funds are being held, contract renewals have been voided and Drake is in the middle of a battle in which he had no knowledge.

This case is also a great example of why when doing business in this industry verbal agreements mean nothing. If Bryant and Cortez would have established some form of an agreement that was legit they could have avoided this whole mess. Now they are in a court battle based on he said she said.

German Luggage Company battles a Hollywood Studio

German Luggage Company says that Marvel Studios is infringing on a product in which they own. The plaintiff for the company in the case, Rimowa GmbH says that their trademark is damaged.

The carrying case at the center if this court suit is one used in the movie “The Avengers” by the character Nick Fury played by Samuel L. Jackson. The Company’s issue is not the use of the case in the movie since it was authentic. The company is arguing that the infringement is on Marvels use of a replicated version for there Avengers box set packaging advertises at this years Comic Con convention in San Diego, CA.

I believe this could be a promising case for the luggage company. Since Marvel studios did indeed use their product freely in the movie and has no chosen to replicate it for profit that’s obvious grounds of trademark infringement.  Due to the impact that the Comic Con convention on products sales, if I was representation for Marvel I would work towards a settlement. This product is obviously valuable to their product. Possible agreeing to pay any damages to or profit loss to the company and I would even go as far as to recommend some percentage in profits. This way both companies can settle and also walk away cutting their losses.

Telemundo Drops 50 Vicky

Vicky Gutierrez is the former reporter/anchor for Telemundo station KVEA in Los Angeles, CA. Vicki has entered a lawsuit with Telemundo and parent company NBC Universal for what she claims was wrongful termination, retaliation and age discrimination.

Vicki is taking action after she was released from her position at the LA station and replaced by a much younger anchor. She stated that once she turned age 50 they let her go. Vicki also states that she had been a victim of workplace harassment in which she filed complaints for during her employment.

This is something I think many entertainment professionals are faced with. The media is truly saturated with images that they feel should reflect society. I think that in entering this business its something you have to consider your ending may not be when you decide but when the companies in which you promote do. I am not in any way saying that I agree with the network or Gutierrez. I will say that I think this a minor case to take to court. It’s one of those conflicts that comes with the territory and that’s for both parties rather discriminatory or not.