Outkast has closed its trademark battle against the EDM duo ATLiens after reaching a settlement deal in Georgia federal court.
A federal judge dismissed the case on February 20 after both sides filed papers stating they had reached a settlement framework. The court documents show that the parties are working to finalize their agreement, but have kept all settlement terms private.
“The parties are pleased to report that that they have reached agreement on a general settlement framework and are in the process of drafting and negotiating a formal settlement agreement,” Outkast’s lawyer, Joshua M. Kalb, explained.
The Atlanta-based EDM duo had been using the ATLiens name since 2012 and registered federal trademarks in 2020. Outkast’s legal team argued the electronic artists were trading on their fame and confusing fans about who created the original ATLiens brand.
Outkast’s company, High Schoolers LLC, filed the lawsuit claiming trademark infringement and unfair competition. The complaint said the EDM group used the name for merchandise, including t-shirts and sweaters, while mimicking Outkast promotional materials.
The EDM duo ATLiens has grown to 456,000 Spotify listeners and 253,000 Instagram followers since starting their career. They wear masks during performances, which Outkast’s lawyers suggested could create additional confusion about the artists’ identities.
Outkast created the word “ATLiens” by combining Atlanta with aliens for their second studio album.
The Hip-Hop duo Andre 3000 and Big Boi have sold over 25 million records worldwide and won six Grammy Awards. Their ATLiens album is considered one of the greatest Hip-Hop records by both music critics and fans.
Both parties must complete their final settlement paperwork by March 15, according to court filings.
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