Eminem’s hit Lose Yourself at center of suit against Michigan Ford dealership over unauthorized online ad
A federal lawsuit has been filed by the company Eight Mile Style against a consortium of Michigan Ford dealerships for what they says was an unauthorized use of Eminem’s 2002 track Lose Yourself in an advertisement for the auto business.
The Grammy-winning rapper, 52, ‘is not the plaintiff in the lawsuit,’ according to TMZ, which initially reported the news.
The suit was filed by Eight Mile Style, which has rights to his earlier work and he is not an owner of, according to the outlet.
Eight Mile Style says the business – LaFontaine Ford St. Clair, which operates multiple auto dealerships – did not have permission from him to use Lose Yourself in one of its ads.
The ad in question was for a limited edition Ford F-150 truck branded with the logo of the NFL’s Detroit Lions.
Dailymail.com has reached out to reps for LaFontaine Ford St. Clair for further comment on this story.
A federal lawsuit has been filed by the company Eight Mile Style against a consortium of Michigan Ford dealerships for what they says was an unauthorized use of Eminem’s 2002 track Lose Yourself in an advertisement for the auto business. Eminem, 52, pictured at the 2024 NFL draft, which was held at Campus Martius Park in Detroit
The rapper says LaFontaine Ford St. Clair did not have his permission to use his song Lose Yourself for a limited edition Ford F-150 truck branded with the logo of the NFL’s Detroit Lions
Eight Mile Style said in legal docs reviewed by TMZ that the dealership began running ads with the track online last autumn.
The ad event incorporated lyrics from Eminem’s song in its pitch, with the slogan, ‘You only get one shot to own a Special Edition Detroit Lions F-150,’ Eight Mile Style told the court.
The ad campaign coincided with the football franchise’s best-ever season at 15-2, which ended with a shock loss in the playoffs earlier this month.
Eight Mile Style noted the value of the rights to the music, citing how Chrysler licensed it for a commercial it used that ran in the 2011 Super Bowl, as the NFL’s championship game garners the most expensive ad costs of the year.
The Real Slim Shady artist noted that Chrysler generated millions in revenues with the boost from his hit track, the outlet reported.
Eminem is asking the court to force the Ford dealership to compensate him financial damages for the unauthorized use of the track, and stop playing it further.
The Motor City-based rapper has a long history of cheering on the Lions, and was present for the 2024 NFL draft, which was held at the city’s Campus Martius Park.
In addition to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, the rapper was joined onstage by current Lions Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Aidan Hutchinson.
Also in attendance were franchise legends and NFL Hall-of-Famers Calvin Johnson and Barry Sanders.
The dealership began running ads with the track online last autumn, Eminem said in legal docs
Eminem is asking the court to force the Ford dealership to compensate him financial damages for the unauthorized use of the track, and stop playing it further
Eminem, whose hits include tracks such as Stan, We Made You and The Monster, last summer released his 12th studio album, titled The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce).
The album’s debut in the Billboard 200’s top spot dethroned Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department, which had been there for 12 weeks.
The singer last month performed for the first time following the death of his mother Debbie Nelson at 69 last month following a battle with lung cancer.
He was on stage at the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix, where he sang the track Without Me, which included the lyrics ‘F*** you Debbie,’ detailing their stormy relationship.
While he didn’t say the line, the crowd filled it in.
