Eminem does not mess around when it comes to his Slim Shady moniker. Recently, he even decided to take legal action to protect it. TMZ reports that the rapper has filed a lawsuit against Australian beach brand Swim Shady. Per documents filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and obtained by the outlet, he’s alleging that the brand’s name is too close to his for comfort. According to the suit, he’ll allegedly suffer “damage and injury” if its allowed to keep its name. He thinks people might associate it with him.
Swim Shady has since released a statement in response to lawsuit.
“Swim Shady is a grass roots Australian company that was born out of a desire to produce stylish and effective sun shades and other items to protect from the harsh Australian sun,” it reads. “We will defend our valuable intellectual property. Given the matters are before the court, we do not propose to say any more at this time.”
Eminem Lawsuit
Oct 20, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Eminem performs on the super stage at Formula 1 Pirelli United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mikala Compton / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
This isn’t the only legal drama Eminem is wrapped up in at the moment, however. Last month, his publishing company Eight Mile Style submitted a new legal filing. In it, they allege that Meta has used Em’s catalog on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp without proper licensing.
“Meta is one of the most valuable companies in the world… With teams of lawyers at the ready to crush any legitimate attempt at opposing many of the egregious tactics it employs in pursuit of its limitless expansion,” the filing alleges.
“Meta may effortlessly start and then endure a war of attrition in order to force a smaller opposing party into submission,” a lawyer for Eight Mile Style, Richard Busch, also alleges. “Meta objectively knew it did not have a license to exploit the Eight Mile Compositions, and was aware that it was providing infringing material on a massive scale, thereby culpably causing direct infringement by its users every time they copied, synched, downloaded, or streamed the Eight Mile Compositions from its Music Libraries, which it deliberately placed there.”