While Chuck Norris might be known for kicking through walls and defeating legions single-handedly, even he might think twice before tangling in the courtroom shuffle that rapper Troy Ave finds himself in.
The jailed rapper is being sued by In The Struggle Productions LLC, a music and entertainment production company.
Producer CITO, the talented beatsmith who has crafted tracks for Cardi B, Dave East, and Lil Yachty, is at the heart of the lawsuit.
According to In The Struggle Productions, CITO, also known as Citoonthebeat, allegedly does not retain the rights to the music he produces or the trademark to his name.
In The Struggle Productions claims ownership and exclusive rights to the musical compositions and recordings created by CITO, laying the foundation for their legal challenge against Troy Ave, BSB Records, Inc., and Empire Distribution, Inc.
The lawsuit notably mentions Troy Ave’s song “Chuck Norris (Hoes & Gangstas),” which has reportedly amassed millions of streams and substantial revenue for the defendants, according to the complaint.
The track is featured on the album Free Troy Ave, while the single was released in 2016 with an accompanying video.
In The Struggle alleges this track contains copyrighted work used without authorization, an action they claim to have addressed through repeated notifications to the defendants, all of which were purportedly disregarded.
The dispute extends beyond copyright infringement to claims of unfair competition and misappropriation of labor and expenditures.
The lawsuit further accuses Troy Ave, Empire, and CITO of attempting to sidestep the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) by submitting false counter-notices.
They intended to challenge the DMCA takedown notices issued by In The Struggle, which the company claims clearly violated its rights.
In The Struggle is seeking various forms of relief, including damages for lost profits and unjust enrichment, a permanent injunction to prevent further infringement and a declaration that the defendants are liable for misrepresentation under the DMCA.