By: John Lester
06/21/2012 10:27 AM ET
Jay-Z is the latest music mogul to face a copyright infringement lawsuit over his memoir- though, in the “Watch the Throne” rapper’s case, the legal troubles stem from his writing, not his rhymes.
In a case filed June 13 in Los Angeles, Patrick White accused Hova of lifting portions of his writing and using them as his own in the rapper’s best-selling book “Decoded.”
“In 2009, my personal computer was compromised, resulting in my personal work to be used in Jay-Z’s book ‘Decoded’ which was released in 2010,” White claims in the handwritten lawsuit.
“The book contains various expressions/colors/phrases which correlates to my work,” he continues. “After contacting or attempting to contact the co-aurthor, I got no reply.”
The New York Daily News reports that White is also including author Dream Hampton and Random House publishing in the lawsuit seeking unspecified damages.
Jay-Z’s 2010 bestseller is a collection of lyrics and the story behind their meanings, making it highly unlikely that the claims hold any merit.
White is seeking damages for copyright infringement and invasion of property.