Outkast Sue EDM Duo ATLiens for Trademark Infringement

Excessive Schoolers LLC, a trademark holding firm managed by Outkast’s André 3000 and Massive Boi, has filed a federal lawsuit in opposition to the Atlanta digital dance music duo ATLiens. Within the lawsuit, obtained by Pitchfork, attorneys for the LLC declare that Outkast coined the time period “ATLiens,” and that they’ve utilized it and owned the trademark for it since 1996. The EDM duo, the attorneys declare, has infringed on the Outkast trademark and been utilizing the trademark with out authorization.

Within the criticism, the attorneys say that the band ATLiens registered for their trademark in 2020, claiming that they’d used the title since 2012—lengthy after the 1996 launch of Outkast’s beloved second studio album, ATLiens. The attorneys argue that the competing trademark “is preventing Plaintiff [High Schoolers LLC] from being able to obtain registrations for its senior ATLIENS mark.”

Additionally they allege that the duo selected its title “to trade upon the tremendous fame and goodwill associated with Plaintiff’s ATLIENS album, song, and mark, or, at a minimum, to call to consumers’ minds Plaintiff’s famous ATLIENS album, song, and mark.”

By means of the lawsuit, the LLC and its attorneys are asking the Georgia federal court docket to forestall the band ATLiens from utilizing the “ATLiens” trademark. They’re additionally asking for the cancellation of the duo’s competing trademark, amongst different requests.

When reached by Pitchfork, attorneys Abigail J. Remore and Peter E. Nussbaum shared the next assertion on behalf of Excessive Schoolers LLC and André 3000: “This is a basic brand protection issue. Efforts to resolve this matter amicably were unfortunately unsuccessful and Outkast therefore had to file suit in order to protect the valuable name and trademark ATLIENS that it created and has continuously used for nearly 30 years.”

Pitchfork has additionally emailed an lawyer for ATLiens Touring Inc. for remark.