By Aaron Miller-
The iconic track “Dear Mama” by Tupac Shakur has become embroiled in a legal dispute after producer Master Tee filed a copyright infringement lawsuit.
Master Tee claims that the three-year limit on filing a copyright infringement claim has not expired, as he only recently discovered the alleged infringement this year.
The filed lawsuit claims that producer Tony D. Pizarro, label Interscope and its parent company Universal Music Group “conspired” to obscure Master Tee’s role in creating the track, depriving him of what he says are his rightful publishing royalties as a co-writer.
“A self-serving group, led by an upstart music producer, Tony D. Pizarro, conspired with executives at Interscope Records and Universal Music Group (UMG), misappropriated Master Tee’s publishing copyright and master recording copyright and assumed the identity of writer/publisher of Dear Mama’s music,” states Master Tee’s complaint, which was filed on November 18 with the US District Court for the Southern District of New York.
The complaint sheds light on Master Tee’s background, portraying him as a New York City bus driver for the past 26 years and emphasizing that he is not a sophisticated business person.
The lawsuit states that Master Tee, who has worked as a New York City bus driver for the past 26 years, is “not a sophisticated business person,” and was not aware that he should receive publishing royalties in addition to his producer royalties, until he saw the “Dear Mama” docuseries earlier this year.
The complaint also argues that the three-year limit on filing a copyright infringement claim has not yet run out in this case, as Master Tee only learned of the alleged infringement this year.
That argument has sometimes been accepted by US federal appeals courts in the past.
Master Tee’s involvement in the song’s creation is further asserted to in a 1996 interview pointed to in the filing, in which Tupac says “Master Tee gave me the beat.”
The lawsuit argues that only this year did Master Tee realize that the royalties he received from BMI were significantly less than he deserved had his creative work been credited properly.
The legal filing contends that the timing of Master Tee’s awareness coincides with the recent arrest of the prime suspect in Tupac’s 1996 murder.
Rather, it suggests that the passage of time should not be a defense in this case, given the ongoing developments related to Tupac’s murder investigation.
Master Tee’s involvement in creating “Dear Mama” is emphasized through a 1996 interview where Tupac explicitly credits him with providing the beat.
The present complaint includes a handwritten note, purportedly by Tupac, listing Master Tee among the song’s producers, along with a link to the song’s demo featuring Master Tee’s name in the producer tag.
The lawsuit further alleges that during Tupac’s incarceration, another producer, Pizarro, made unilateral changes to the master recording of “Dear Mama” at the behest of Interscope Records. These changes were intended to eliminate Master Tee’s legitimate ownership of the copyright.
According to the complaint, the remixed tape reels generated by Pizarro in July 1994 were derived from the “slave versions of the original 2-inch master tape” created in 1993 by Tupac and Master Tee.
The legal action seeks a declaration from the judge affirming Master Tee as a co-writer and co-publisher of the track.
Requested Injunction
An injunction has been requested to prevent the defendants from collecting royalties until the matter is resolved. Additionally, the filing seeks an accounting of the money Master Tee is allegedly owed, along with damages and other charges.
The outcome of this legal battle could have far-reaching implications for copyright disputes involving iconic songs and the often overlooked figures behind their creation. The music world awaits the resolution of this complex and evolving case.
Handwritten Note
Master Tee’s involvement in the song’s creation is cited in a 1996 interview where Tupac explicitly credits him for providing the beat: “Master Tee gave me the beat.” The complaint further includes a handwritten note, believed to be authored by Tupac, listing Master Tee among the song’s producers.
Additionally, a link to the song’s demo features Master Tee’s name in the producer tag at the beginning.
The legal filing claims that during Tupac’s incarceration, and without initial consent from the artist or Master Tee, another producer, Pizarro, made unilateral changes to the master recording of “Dear Mama.”
These changes, allegedly made at the request of Interscope Records, were intended to negate Master Tee’s legitimate ownership of the copyright.
While copyright battles are not uncommon in the music industry, the unique circumstances surrounding the alleged alterations to “Dear Mama” during Tupac’s incarceration add a layer of complexity to the case.
The legal wrangling over iconic songs is not a new phenomenon, and historical cases have sometimes set precedence for how copyright claims are handled.
In this instance, the 1996 interview and the handwritten note serve as crucial pieces of evidence in Master Tee’s bid to establish his rightful ownership of the copyright.
The lawsuit not only raises questions about the ownership of one of Tupac’s most cherished works but also sheds light on the intricate dynamics within the music industry, where producers and artists navigate complex agreements and sometimes face disputes over credit and royalties.
The outcome of this case could set significant precedents for future disputes over iconic songs and their rightful ownership.
“While defendants will invariably use the passage of time to attempt a defense, it is noteworthy that only this year has the prime suspect in 2Pac’s 1996 murder been arrested,” reads the complaint. “
Master Tee did not until very recently appreciate that the royalties which he was deriving from BMI were actually much less than he should have been receiving had his creative work been credited as it should have been from the outset.”