Robin Thicke's summer hit song "Blurred Lines" has received its fair criticism for featuring topless models in the sexy music video, and now the song is claimed to be a rip off of songs composed by Marvin Gaye and Parliament Funkadeli.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the singer and his "Blurred Lines" co-composers Pharrell Williams and Clifford Harris , are not taking the matter lying down. They filed a suit in Los Angeles on Thursday asking a federal judge to determine the summer hit is not a rip off.
According to the filing, the Gayes and Bridgeport claim "Blurred Lines" steals from Gaye's song "Got to Give It Up" and Funkadelic's song "Sexy Ways." They have allegedly threatened litigation if the plaintiffs don't pay a monetary settlement.
"Plaintiffs, who have the utmost respect for and admiration of Marvin Gaye, Funkadelic, and their musical legacies, reluctantly file this action in the face of multiple adverse claims from alleged successors in interest to those artists," the suit states. Members of Gaye's family and Bridgeport Music, which owns some of P. Funk's songs, are named as defendants.
"The basis of the Gaye defendants' claims is that 'Blurred Lines' and 'Got to Give It Up' 'feel' or 'sound' the same," according to the lawsuit. "Being reminiscent of a 'sound' is not copyright infringement. The intent in producing 'Blurred Lines' was to evoke an era," the lawsuit states.
Meanwhile, Robin Thicke was given support from Funkadelic's legendary front man George Clinton on Friday.
"No sample of Funkadelic's 'Sexy Ways' in Robin Thicke's 'Blurred Lines' ... We support Robin Thicke and Pharrell!" Clinton wrote on Twitter.
Compare the two video's below and decide for yourself:
