Hip-Hop Superstar Daddy Yankee Sued For Copyright Infringement

Reggaeton superstar Daddy Yankee has been sued for copyright infringement in the United States District Court for the Central District of California (CV07-5060 DDP (AGRx)). Victor M. Lopez, Jr., a Latin hip-hop songwriter and performer, alleges in the lawsuit that Daddy Yankee used a musical composition belonging to Lopez for use on "Salud Y Vida," a track on Daddy Yankee's breakthrough album "Barrio Fino." Daddy Yankee and the record companies that helped produce and distribute his album, including Universal Music, also included Lopez’s musical composition on a DVD, a music video, and other products.

According to Lopez's lawyers, Peter Afrasiabi and Chris Arledge of the law firm Turner Green Afrasiabi & Arledge LLP, the defendants' theft of Lopez's music is particularly shocking in light of the fact that there is no dispute as to Lopez’s authorship. Indeed, the album cover for "Barrio Fino" gives Lopez songwriting credit.

“Daddy Yankee’s representatives tried to negotiate a deal with Lopez to include the song on the “Barrio Fino” album, but when negotiations broke down, they simply used the composition without permission,” explained Afrasiabi.

According to Arledge, Lopez intends to recover copyright infringement damages from Daddy Yankee, all of the record companies involved in the project, and the retailers and others who have profited from Lopez’s allegedly stolen work.