.

will.i.am Denies Lawsuit With Pharrell

07/01/2013
.
(Radio.com) will.i.am is taking back previous claims that he is suing Pharrell Williams' "i am OTHER" brand. A lawyer for the Black-Eyed Peas singer insists that there is "misinformation" surrounding the alleged lawsuit in which he said Pharrell's i am OTHER is "confusingly similar" to will.i.am's trademarked phrase "I AM."

In a statement provided to Rolling Stone, will.i.am's attorney Ken Hertz says will.i.am. isn't suing Pharrell. Instead it's a "run-of-the-mill trademark procedure in order to "defend trademarks that have been registered and that [will.i.am] has used widely and continuously for many years." And will.i.am also tweeted out a series of messages stating that "i.am not suing @Pharrell & I NEVER WAS."

Pharrell's attorney, Brad Rose, has his own statement which asserts that will.i.am has "obstructed every overture made by Pharrell to amicably resolve this matter and has steadfastly refused to engage in a dialogue."

Rose continued: "Will and his trademark counsel have instituted no less than eight cases against Pharrell in the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and have also threatened on more than one occasion to sue Pharrell for trademark infringement in Federal District Court for damages and an injunction. All of this because Will misguidedly believes that he has the sole right to the words I AM in commerce, notwithstanding the myriad of I Am compound trademarks that coexist on the trademark register and in the marketplace." more on this story

Radio.com is an official news provider for antiMusic.com.
Copyright Radio.com/CBS Local - Excerpted here with permission.

will.i.am CDs, DVDs and MP3s

will.i.am T-shirts and Posters

Share this article

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pin it Share on Reddit email this article


...end