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Marvin Gaye's Family Goes After T.I.

The “Blurred Lines” dispute heads back to court.

One week after Marvin Gaye’s children won a $7.4 million judgment against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams, the family is setting their sights on T.I. 

According to the The Hollywood Reporter, Gaye’s children — Frankie, Nona and Marvin Gaye III — filed a motion Tuesday (March 17) to hold the Grand Hustle rapper accountable for his verse on Thicke’s hit single, along with Universal Music, Interscope Records, and Star Trak Entertainment.  

Although a jury found that “Blurred Lines” infringed upon Gaye’s 1977 track “Got to Give It Up,” the previous ruling affected only Thicke and Williams, who shared writing credits. T.I., whose birth name is Clifford Harris Jr., jumped on the song at the last minute, according to testimony from Williams. 

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However, the Gayes argue that, “as a matter of law, all members of the distribution chain are liable for copyright infringement, including co-writer of the song ‘Blurred Lines,’ Clifford Harris, Jr. and the Interscope Parties, who manufactured, licensed, distributed, and sold the infringing song, both as a single and as part of the album.”

In addition, the family is asking a judge for an injunction to stop further distribution of “Blurred Lines" until Gaye is attributed as a writer on the song.  

“Blurred Lines” has made over $16 million since its 2013 release. T.I.’s cut was just above $700,000. 

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(Photo: Prince Williams/WireImage)

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