Swizz Beatz Sues North Carolina Nightspot Over Alleged DMX Copyright Violations

Swizz Beatz has joined a federal copyright lawsuit accusing a North Carolina waterfront venue of playing DMX’s songs without proper licensing.

Swizz Beatz and several music publishers have joined a federal copyright lawsuit against a popular North Carolina waterfront venue, alleging the establishment played copyrighted songs for years without securing the proper licenses or paying royalties.

BoatYard Lake Norman and owner Chris Boukedes are accused of publicly performing copyrighted music, according to a complaint filed last Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Charlotte. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) claims they tried to obtain a licensing agreement to no avail.

Among the songs cited in the lawsuit is “Party Up (Up in Here),” the DMX anthem co-written by Swizz Beatz. The lawsuit also references hit songs “Jump Around,” “Party All the Time” and “Shut Up and Dance,” with publishers tied to those works joining the legal action.

The complaint alleges ASCAP representatives spent years attempting to contact BoatYard Lake Norman through phone calls, emails and mailed correspondence. They insist they wanted to offer a license that would allow the venue to legally play music from ASCAP’s catalog. Those offers were repeatedly declined, they claim.

The lawsuit claims the venue continued publicly performing songs owned by ASCAP members.

The plaintiffs include music publishers associated with the tracks in question, including Universal Music Group affiliates and other rights holders. They are seeking statutory damages that could reach as much as $30,000 for the alleged infringement cited in the complaint.

Boukedes, a longtime figure in the nightlife scene, has operated several businesses in the area over the years. He was previously connected to the Brickhouse Tavern in Davidson and later became involved with the Galway H##### pub in Cornelius, a notable Irish-style establishment that was famously constructed in Ireland and shipped to North Carolina for assembly.

The lawsuit against BoatYard Lake Norman was one of roughly a dozen copyright infringement actions filed nationwide this week on behalf of ASCAP members against bars, restaurants and entertainment venues.

ASCAP Executive Vice President of Licensing Stephanie Ruyle criticized businesses that continue using copyrighted music without obtaining the proper permissions.

“Each of the establishments sued today has chosen to infringe upon the hard work of songwriters instead of licensing the music they play, despite repeated notifications and opportunities to do so,” Ruyle said in a statement to The Charlotte Observer.

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