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The thrumming, energized beat underscoring Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” is pretty iconic at this point. So, when New Zealand’s conservative National Party used it in a 2014 campaign ad, fans took quick notice. Ah, but it wasn’t “Lose Yourself”, the political advertisers claimed; rather, it was a piece of stock music called “Eminem Esque”. Regardless, Eminem’s publisher Eight Mile Style filed a copyright lawsuit.
Now, The Associated Press reports that the lawsuit has been resolved. Though the party claimed they licensed the song from an Australian music library (who says they bought it from an American company), High Court Judge Helen Cull ruled that the party had breached copyright. As such, the party is ordered to pay the Detroit rapper $600,000 in New Zealand bucks, which translates to roughly $415,000 American.
Adam Simpson, a lawyer representing Eight Mile Style, said, “We hope that we see more original music in advertising as a result, and that writers get properly acknowledged and rewarded for their hard work.”
Here’s the offending ad:
The case made headlines last spring when a hilariously cringeworthy video was released of grim, stodgy lawyers being forced to listen to “Lose Yourself” in a drab courtroom. Watch it below.