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Jackson, Smith, Tupac sued for same song

Bang! Showbiz | Saturday, 05 January 2008

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Michael Jackson, Will Smith and Tupac Shakur are all being sued for allegedly stealing the same song.

Blues musician Syl Johnson - real name Sylvester Thompson - has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the three artists claiming they all used his 1967 tune Different Strokes without paying him for the rights to do so.

Johnson claims Jackson's Blood on the Dance Floor, Smith's Who Stole The DJ and Shakur's Peep Game all illegally sampled his track.

The 71-year-old soul singer has also filed papers against the rap group N.W.A. for their song Real N**gaz Don't Die, and KRS-One for his tune Criminal Minded.

Johnson - who has worked with Magic Sam, Junior Wells and Jimmy Reed during his career - is seeking unspecified damages.

Meanwhile, former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash has confessed he refused to let Jackson - who was cleared of child abuse charges in 2005 - hold his son when they met in London.

He said: "I give the benefit of the doubt to Michael on everything - he's innocent until proven guilty - but I was thinking, 'figure out your s**t and I'll hold on to my son."

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