Sing it out
Over the past few months, copyright infringement has been at the forefront of a group if individuals minds involved in multiple Lawsuits pertaining to pop artists Robin Thicke and Pharell Williams. After releasing a single, the pop icons experienced a large amount of media backlash. Fans were concerned that the message behind the music video demonstrated a lack of respect toward woman, objectifying them in a suggestive manner.
The single, known as Blurred Lines, has also caused concern due the music itself. Members of Marvin Gaye’s family have claimed Blurred Lines was copied from Gaye’s original “Got to Give it Up”. In a preemptive move months back, Mr. Thick and Mr. Williams filed suit, hoping that it would block a creative infringement case against them. Members of Mr. Gaye’s family still filed shortly afterwards, and won; through which they collected millions. Throughout the entirety of this process, Mr. Thicke has remained out of the spotlight and, for the most part, out of the eyes of the public. At the beginning of this month, Mr. Thicke decided to break his silence. “I know the difference between inspiration and theft. I’m constantly inspired, but I would never steal. And neither would Pharell”, he contends. “As a songwriter, you’re obviously trying to create a brand-new feeling that comes from your heart. But you can’t help but be inspired by all of the greatness that came before you.”
Mr. Thicke has admitted to being careless throughout the entirety of the lawsuit, claiming that personal issues have gotten in the way of him deciding what was best for him. “My personal issues were all that mattered to me at the time. That’s why I use the word ‘careless’ to describe my attitude at the time. Obviously, I didn’t give my all to the trial. It simply wasn’t as important to me as what was going on in my personal life.”