Yesterday saw the beginning of a copyright infringement trial in Los Angeles over the 1999 Jay-Z hit ‘Big Pimpin’’.
Attended by both Jay-Z and producer Timbaland on its opening day, the pair are accused of unlawfully sampling Egyptain composer Baligh Hamdi’s 1957 track ‘Khosara Khosara’ with lawyers for the heirs of the composers arguing against the rapper and producer.
As Billboard reports, attorneys for the pair say that rights to ‘Khosara Khosara’ had previously been secured and Hamdi’s heirs reportedly paid for its usage. Timbaland’s lawyer also told jurors on the case that ‘Big Pimpin’’ includes a number of elements that aren’t actually copyrightable. The trial resumes today with testimony from an expert on Egyptian music.
