When Artists Fight Over a Group Name

Teddy Riley sues Chauncey "Black" Hannibal over Blackstreet.

No Diggity - Blackstreet is heading back to the courts. This time, Teddy Riley filed suit against Chauncey “Black” Hannibal in Brooklyn Federal Court, accusing Black of allowing the "Blackstreet" trademark renewal to lapse and then fraudulently applying for it under his own name.Read on for other groups who’ve battled it out.(Photo: Mick Hutson/Redferns)

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No Diggity - Blackstreet is heading back to the courts. This time, Teddy Riley filed suit against Chauncey “Black” Hannibal in Brooklyn Federal Court, accusing Black of allowing the "Blackstreet" trademark renewal to lapse and then fraudulently applying for it under his own name.Read on for other groups who’ve battled it out.(Photo: Mick Hutson/Redferns)

The Commodores - The Commodores are suing former group member Thomas McClary, who left the funk/soul band more than 30 years ago to go solo. Recently, McClary's been performing their old hits like "Brick House" and "Easy" as The Commodores and Thomas McClary, and the originals want a piece of the money.(Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

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The Commodores - The Commodores are suing former group member Thomas McClary, who left the funk/soul band more than 30 years ago to go solo. Recently, McClary's been performing their old hits like "Brick House" and "Easy" as The Commodores and Thomas McClary, and the originals want a piece of the money.(Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

The Pharcyde ‏ (@thepharcyde242) - TWEET: "I had Paul Revere in our KDay set, I wanted to give a shout on their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. Had to cut the set short.. Damn.."(Photo: Courtesy Delicious Vinyl Records)

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The Pharcyde - Pharcyde's Romye Robinson (Bootie Brown) and Imani Wilcox (Imani) are suing fellow founding members Derrick Stewart (Fatlip) and Trevant Hardson (Slimkid3) for performing under "Pharcyde" in the same city that Bootie Brown and Imani had shows booked. They said it causes consumer confusion –– especially since the latter two men left the group more than 10 years ago.(Photo: Delicious Vinyl Records)

Blackstreet  - Dave Hollister first stepped on the scene as the lead singer in the '90s group Blackstreet. (Photo: Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

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Blackstreet - Blackstreet has had a rotating cast since the beginning. And in recent years, founding memeber Chauncey Black sued fellow Blackstreeter Teddy Riley, claiming he's been illegally using the group's name, which Black says he owns.(Photo:  Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

En Vogue - In the '90s, En Vogue scored massive hits with songs like "My Lovin (You're Never Gonna Get It)" and "Free Your Mind." In April, a judge ruled that Cindy Herron and Terry Ellis were the only members allowed to use the name. The ruling came after members Maxine Jones and Dawn Robinson, who split from the group, tried to book gigs under the group's name.(Photo: Mick Hutson/Redferns)

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En Vogue - In the '90s, En Vogue scored massive hits with songs like "My Lovin (You're Never Gonna Get It)" and "Free Your Mind." In April, a judge ruled that Cindy Herron and Terry Ellis were the only members allowed to use the name. The ruling came after members Maxine Jones and Dawn Robinson, who split from the group, tried to book gigs under the group's name.(Photo: Mick Hutson/Redferns)

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The Temptations - The Temptations were another part of the celebrated tribute to Motown in 1998.(Photo: CBS/Landov)

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The Temptations - While this Motown superstar vocal group was concieved as a brotherhood, The Temptations were not without their squabbles. Former member Dennis Edwards attempted to tour in the '90s under the name "Dennis Edwards and the Temptations," which sparked a lawsuit from member Otis Williams, who co-owns the rights to the name. As a result, Edwards changed his act's name to "The Temptations Review."(Photo: CBS /Landov)

Photo By Photo: CBS/Landov

18. Klymaxx - The all-girl band, formed in Los Angeles, California by Bernadette Cooper, was the first of its kind — women playing every instrument, writing lyrics, singing hooks and talking a whole lot of trash. Their debut album, Never Underestimate the Power of a Woman, featured production by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, but didn’t quite make the impact the ladies had hoped for. But their sophomore release, Meeting In The Ladies Room, showed that they were onto something, producing hits like the title track, “The Men All Pause,” “I Miss You” and “Still Say Yes.” Group tensions caused members to leave and pursue other ventures, but real music fans know that Klymaxx was the start of the girl-power movement in music. (Photo: Randee St. Nicholas)

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Klymaxx - After riding high on the charts in the '80s with classics like "The Men All Pause" and "I Miss You," the all-female R&B band Klymaxx broke up 1989. But friction arose when the group's guitarist Cheryl Cooley attempted to get a solo trademark on the Klymaxx name. Afterwards, Klymaxx founder Bernadette Cooper filed court documents to get rights to the name. No decision has been made as to who's the owner, but the group did reunite for a performance on a reality TV show.(Photo: Randee St. Nicholas)

Ike and Tina Turner - Credit Ike Turner for introducing the world to the woman we know and love Tina Turner, nee Anna Mae Bullock.  Their union was rocky to say the least, but the music they created as Ike Turner and the Kings of Rhythm was timeless and produced hits like “A Fool in Love,” a remix of Creedence Clearwater’s “Proud Mary” and “Nutbush City Limits.”\rRelationship Status: What’s love got to do with it? Not a d--- thing!\r(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

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Ike and Tina Turner - Following a string of hits in the '60s (including "Proud Mary") and a turbulent marriage, the rock 'n' soul duo Ike and Tina Turner divorced in 1977. The volatile Ike attempted to keep Tina's name in divorce negotiations. But when it was discovered that he didn't copyright the name, the queen of rock (whose real name is Anna Mae Bullock) was able to keep her stage moniker, one of the most iconic household names to date.(Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

L.T.D. - The '70s R&B band L.T.D. (Love, Togetherness and Devotion) not only spawned soul classics like "(Every Time I Turn Around) Back in Love Again" and "Holding On (When Love Is Gone)" but also the soul-crooning vet Jeffrey Osborne, who used to be the group's drummer. In 1999, an L.T.D. copycat band lost a federal court battle with the current three original members to retain the rights and ownership of the name L.T.D.(Photo:   Gems/Redferns/Getty Images)

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L.T.D. - The '70s R&B band L.T.D. (Love, Togetherness and Devotion) not only spawned soul classics like "(Every Time I Turn Around) Back in Love Again" and "Holding On (When Love Is Gone)" but also the soul-crooning vet Jeffrey Osborne, who used to be the group's drummer. In 1999, an L.T.D. copycat band lost a federal court battle with the current three original members to retain the rights and ownership of the name L.T.D.(Photo:   Gems/Redferns/Getty Images)

The Platters - Singers Herb Reed, Dave Lynch, Tony Williams, Zola Taylor and Paul Robi were members of the '50s superstar doo-wop group The Platters, whose hits included "Only You" and "The Great Pretender." In '89, Robi, shortly before dying of cancer, won the rights to the group's name. His widow would be stripped of ownership in 1997 after a judge reportedly rewarded exclusive rights to Herb Reed to tour as the Platters.  (Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

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The Platters - Singers Herb Reed, Dave Lynch, Tony Williams, Zola Taylor and Paul Robi were members of the '50s superstar doo-wop group The Platters, whose hits included "Only You" and "The Great Pretender." In '89, Robi, shortly before dying of cancer, won the rights to the group's name. His widow would be stripped of ownership in 1997 after a judge reportedly rewarded exclusive rights to Herb Reed to tour as the Platters.  (Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

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Chic - This foursome ruled the disco era of the late '70s with mega-hits such as "Good Times" and "Le Freak." The group disbanded in the early '80s. But when the two female singers of the group attempted to tour under the name the Ladies of Chic, the group's co-founder, guitarist and key composer, Nile Rodgers, filed a lawsuit to stop them.  (Photo: Atlantic Records)

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Chic - This foursome ruled the disco era of the late '70s with mega-hits such as "Good Times" and "Le Freak." The group disbanded in the early '80s. But when the two female singers of the group attempted to tour under the name the Ladies of Chic, the group's co-founder, guitarist and key composer, Nile Rodgers, filed a lawsuit to stop them.  (Photo: Atlantic Records)

The Delphonics - Our parents grooved to '70s hit ballads by the Delphonics like "La-La (Means I Love You)" and "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)." However, an internal feud over rights to the group's name split this dynamic vocal group between two brothers. William and Wilbert Hart were in litigation over who had rights to the name. Later it was held that William was the owner.(Photo:  Gilles Petard/Redferns/Getty Images)

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The Delphonics - Our parents grooved to '70s hit ballads by the Delphonics like "La-La (Means I Love You)" and "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)." However, an internal feud over rights to the group's name split this dynamic vocal group between two brothers. William and Wilbert Hart were in litigation over who had rights to the name. Later it was held that William was the owner.(Photo:  Gilles Petard/Redferns/Getty Images)

Brass Construction - The signature hit of this Brooklyn-based '70s funk band was "Movin'." In 2001, when members of the band wanted to start touring again following a long hiatus, member Randy Muller claimed to own the band's name. After the registration of the trademark lapsed, the other members re-registered the name and sued Muller. It was ruled that all the band members owned the name Brass Construction. (Photo:  Gems / Redferns / Getty Images)

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Brass Construction - The signature hit of this Brooklyn-based '70s funk band was "Movin'." In 2001, when members of the band wanted to start touring again following a long hiatus, member Randy Muller claimed to own the band's name. After the registration of the trademark lapsed, the other members re-registered the name and sued Muller. It was ruled that all the band members owned the name Brass Construction. (Photo:  Gems / Redferns / Getty Images)