5th Circuit Rules in Rappers' Battle Over Phrase 'Back That Ass Up'

Two rappers' dispute over ownership rights to a song using the phrase "back that ass up" recently plunged the conservative 5th Circuit into the world of booming bass lines and popular street slang. Music copyright decisions are rare for the 5th Circuit, according to Jones Day partner David Schenck. "They're expensive cases to litigate and often they settle," he says, adding, "You don't usually have people dodging and flexing all the way to a court of appeals decision."

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