Eminem Wins Court Battle Against New Zealand Political Party

A judge ordered the conservative National Party to pay the Detroit rapper’s publisher 600,000 New Zealand dollars.

By kmvq on October 25, 2017

By Annie Reuter

Eminem has won a three-year court battle for copyright infringement against a New Zealand political party that used a song in its campaign ads that was strikingly similarity to the rapper’s “Lose Yourself.”

High Court Judge Helen Cull “ordered the conservative National Party to pay the Detroit rapper’s publisher 600,000 New Zealand dollars ($415,000) plus interest,” reports Billboard.

During the trial, Eminem collaborator Jeff Bass flew to New Zealand to play the song’s opening riff. He tells Billboard he was angered by the defense’s argument that “Lose Yourself” wasn’t original because it used the same chords as other songs.

“They could have said anything but question its originality,” he said.

The case was first filed in 2014. At that time, lawmaker Steven Joyce defended the use of the song. He explained the decision as being “pretty legal.” The National Party originally purchased the song “Eminem Esque” to use for its campaign ads from an Australia-based library that bought it from a U.S. supplier. The party is reportedly already considering taking legal action against the U.S. supplier that provided them with the track.