A pack of Christian rappers are looking to legally crucify a former Christian singer who morphed into one of the biggest pop sensations of all-time.
That would be Katy Perry.
In a new lawsuit, Grammy Award-winning MC LeCrae, (along with FLAME and John Reily) are alleging that Perry, Juicy J and producer Dr. Luke used their mega-hit “Dark Horse” to infringe on their 2008 hit “Joyful Noise.”
There are also claims that “Dark Horse” was used to “tarnish” their song with witchcraft, paganism, black magic and Illuminati imagery.
Reports STL Today:
Christian hip-hop musicians from St. Louis and elsewhere sued pop singer Katy Perry, Capitol Records and others in federal court here Tuesday, claiming that Perry’s song “Dark Horse” ripped off their 2008 song.
The suit says that Perry and her co-writers infringed the copyright of the Christian song “Joyful Noise” and have exploited and profited from its use.
It also says that “Joyful Noise” has been “irreparably tarnished by its association with the witchcraft, paganism, black magic, and Illuminati imagery evoked by the same music in ‘Dark Horse’.”
“Joyful Noise” was written in 2007 and released in 2008. The song received a 2008 Gospel Music Association Dove Award nomination for the best rap/hip-hop song, the suit says.
The album, “Our World: Redeemed,” received a Grammy Award nomination for best rock or rap gospel album and a Stellar Award nomination for rap album of the year in 2008.
Eric Kayira, one of the lawyers for the hip-hop artists, said that comparisons of the songs “percolated” various places online and eventually made their way to the performers’ ears.
The suit was filed by Christian hip-hop musicians Flame, born Marcus Gray, and Chike Ojukwu, both of St. Louis, as well as Lecrae Moore, of Atlanta, and Emanuel Lambert, of Aldan, Pa.
“Dark Horse” has sold more than six million copies worldwide and viewed more than 440 million times on YouTube. A pendant deemed offensive to Muslims was proactively removed from the video in February 2014 following an online petition.
Hit the flip to hear “Joyful Noise” and “Dark Horse” and determine if you can hear the similarities.
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Photo: YouTube
