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Keri Hilson, Mary J. Blige Sued for 2005 Hit

Posted Jul 13th 2010 1:30PM by Steven J. Horowitz
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Mary J. Blige's 2005 hit 'Take Me As I Am' from her smash album 'The Breakthrough' might be almost a half-decade old, but it's landed her in hot water. Songwriters Jay Ballard and Kim Jones filed suit against the Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul and The Clutch, the songwriting collective that includes Keri Hilson, for jacking their 1995 track of the same name. The suit, filed July 8 in the United States District Court in the Central District of California, is seeking compensation for all albums and singles sold as well as any publishing income earned from the track from its placement in advertisements.

Atlanta-based The Clutch, which consists of Candice Clotiel "Gg" Nelson, Ezekiel L "(E)Zeke" Lewis, Patrick Michael "J. Que" Smith, Balewa Muhammad and Hilson, have written tracks such as Ciara's 'Like a Boy,' Britney Spears' 'Radar' and Justin Bieber's 'One Less Lonely Girl,' has never before been sued for lifting a previously released song. Blige, on the other hand, has been sued for allegedly stealing the track 'Work That' off her 2007 release 'Growing Pains.'

If the songwriting duo wins the lawsuit, they could be entitled to millions. The track, produced by Ron Fair and Infinity, was the third single off the album, peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Adult R&B Airplay and getting prominently featured in an ad campaign for Chevy Tahoe. 'The Breakthrough' was one of Blige's most successful albums, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling 729,000 copies in its first week and going on to sell more than three million copies.

Her latest album, 'Stronger With Each Tear,' was released in December 2009 and spawned the singles 'The One' featuring Drake, 'I Am,' 'Each Tear' and 'We Got Hood Love' featuring Trey Songz.

Filed under: Busted
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8 Comments

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Jay Brian Ballard

Hey boys and girls it's Brian Ballard. The composer who got ripped-off by the Clutch. You know for the song, "Take Me As I Am" The true lyricist, Kim Jones has fallen off the face of Mars. She might be dead for all I know. I can't find her anywhere. The reason why we didn't win the lawsuit is simple. The musicologist and lawyer quit during depositions. I still have all the similarities of the two songs in my studio. The best thing I can do now is launch all my music on my webpage. I'm almost there. It just takes time and money. Check into www.brianballardmusic.com by October to see my 2 new cds. I WON'T BE SENDING OUT ANY MORE DEMOS to cheating record labels anymore. Take note songwriters. You bet I'll be watching the clutch and others for new lawsuits in the future. No hard feelings. I'm moving on a better man for trying to fight for my rights. And always will!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

July 20 2011 at 9:39 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

M.T. Robinson

Are you kidding? Today's music scene needs no talent, just a vocoder and some bling. I have seen musicians that would have been treated as gods in the seventies play to an empty house in the 21st century, and I have seen people who could not wipe Jimmy Page's ass celebrated like they are gods. Cheap Trick rules, screw all the rest...

July 14 2010 at 1:59 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Rocky

To bad but it is time for the music world to wake up, try some new talent once in awhile, I have recorded and released 14 hits in UK in R&B and not one of the idiot PR people of the industry seem to know this.

July 14 2010 at 1:06 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

marciaobead

Sad-to-say, it is songwriters and factories who should be sued when new music is seized and marketed. Albums are released using social-pressure exerted toward those who inspire the music, those often also pressured to perform, contrary to the intent of 'freedom of the press' ethic but using the ethic as if it is a must-copy-and-sell law. Album-themes vary but many, many can originate from one source with varying inspirations -- hundreds, even thousands of different album-themes can preserve music from one source, the different themes inspired by varying people. There must be a way to control the oil-company and education-domain mobs that are so easily directed toward individual inspiration/performers.

July 14 2010 at 12:40 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

marciaobead

Sad-to-say, it is songwriters and factories who should be sued when new music is seized and marketed. Albums are released using social-pressure exerted toward those who inspire the music, those often also pressured to perform, contrary to the intent of 'freedom of the press' ethic but using the ethic as if it is a must-copy-and-sell law. Album-themes vary but can many, many can originate from one source with varying inspirations -- hundreds, even thousands of different album-themes can preserve music from one source, the different themes inspired by varying people. There must be a way to control the oil-company and education-domain mobs that are so easily directed toward individual inspiration/performers.

July 14 2010 at 12:36 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

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July 14 2010 at 7:15 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to ssophialiang's comment

baobaobeibei2

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July 14 2010 at 7:37 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

rufus

these 2 spammers are pathetic for pushing other sites. they shuld lost their computers and serve jail time for submitting us to their crimes.
just a couple of lowlifes.

July 14 2010 at 10:46 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply