Legal Opinion
Johnson v. Cypress Hill
Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Decided June 1, 2011No. 13-1399PublishedCited by 82 opinions
1Opinion of the Court
EVANS, Circuit Judge.
Syl Johnson, an American blues and soul singer — well known in the 1960s and 1970s for his exploration of African-American identity and social problems — wrote a song entitled, “Is It Because I’m Black” (the “Song”). 1 Twenty-five years later, Cypress Hill 2 , an extremely popular and successful hip-hop group, released the album, “Black Sunday.” One of the tracks on “Black Sunday,” titled “Interlude,” 3 plays a section of Johnson’s Song.
In 2003, Johnson filed suit against Cypress Hill alleging copyright infringement of the Song. Over four years into litigation, the…
2Cases cited17 opinions
- Migra v. Warren City School District Board of EducationSupreme Court of the United States · 1984
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- Reed Elsevier, Inc. v. MuchnickSupreme Court of the United States · 2010
- Schur v. L.A. Weight Loss Centers, Inc.Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit · 2009
- Trustmark Insurance Company v. General & Cologne Life Re of America, Formerly Known as Cologne Life Reinsurance CompanyCourt of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit · 2005
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3Cited by82 opinions
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- Gevas v. MitchellCourt of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit · 2012
- CMFG Life Insurance Company v. RBS Securities, IncorporatedCourt of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit · 2015
- Stifel, Nicholaus & Co. v. Lac Du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa IndiansCourt of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit · 2015
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