South Korea Rappers Yoon Mi-Rae and Tiger JK Sue Sony for Using Their 'Pay Day' Song in 'The Interview' Movie
Sony Pictures Entertainment has been involved in a hacking scandal so big that not even Hollywood could have come up with a story like this one. The entertainment giant is now involved with more drama related to the film "The Interview" as two South Korean hip-hop artists are suing the entertainment giant for the illegal use of their song.
The lawsuit was revealed last week, and it claims the Sony-produced movie "The Interview" used portions of a song from two South Korean hip-hop artists, The Hollywood Reporter reports. The music artists claim this was done without expressed or written approval.
The South Korean music icons, Tiger JK and Yoon Mi-rae, represented by their agency FeelGhoodMusic, say the song is the pair's duet piece "Pay Day." Although the song "Pay Day" is only played for approximately 10 to 15 seconds, the pair might still have a case.
JK and Mi-rae said via a statement that in the beginning they were concerned about authorizing the use of the music. For the pair, the topic of thesong is reportedly very sensitive.
The musicians' reps, FeelGhoodMusic, also added that they will take swift legal action against DFSB, an agency that handled talks with Sony Pictures Entertainment related to the music.
FeelGhoodMusic is the group's newly created hip-hop record label.
It has been reported that "The Interview" finally debuted and was released in about 320 movie theaters in the U.S. on Thursday. It was only after the film debuted that FeelGhoodMusic came to know that "Pay Day" -- a song from Mi-rae's 2007 studio album -- was used.
"We initially received an offer to insert the song, but discussions were on hiatus on some points," FeelGhoodMusic said. "Sony Pictures Entertainment used the music without due procedure or contract."
"Pay Day's" refrain,"Yell louder, Yell louder, yell louder" is in a scene in which Kim Jong-Un drinks and plays billiards with women in lingerie.Then, an American talk show host, played by James Franco, comes to meet him, according to the group's management agency.
"Pay Day" features JK and Mi-rae in a duet. They are also married, Vulture reported. JK and Mi-rae are both pioneering hip-hop icons in South Korea. They have been credited with introducing that music genre to the country in the 1990s, accordingto THR. The couple got married in 2007.
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