Judge bans sales of 1994 B.I.G. album
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A judge halted sales of Notorious B.I.G.’s breakthrough 1994 album, “Ready to Die,” after a jury decided the title song used part of an Ohio Players tune without permission.
The jury Friday awarded $4.2 million in punitive and direct damages to Bridgeport Music and Westbound Records, the companies that own the rights to Ohio Players recordings.
The sales ban imposed by U.S. District Judge Todd Campbell affects the album and the title song in any form, including Internet downloads and radio play. It was unclear when or how the ban would take effect.
The defendants, Bad Boy Entertainment, Bad Boy LLC, Justin Combs Publishing and Universal Records, plan to appeal.
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