Run-DMC sues Wal-Mart, Amazon for 50 million

Darryl "D.M.C.," McDaniels, founder of RUN-D.M.C has just filed a law suit against Jet.com Amazon and Walmart for at least fifty million. for selling merchandize without their permission, including wallets, hats, sunglasses, t-shirts, patches, and other products who infringe upon the RUN D-M-C trademark registered in 2007, according to Reuters.

McDaniels called the Run-DMC brand "extremely valuable," and said it is the subject of several licensing agreements, including to endorse sneakers from Adidas.
He said the defendants are confusing consumers into believing that Run-DMC endorsed their products and are trading on the goodwill associated with the name, in violation of federal trademark and New York unfair competition laws.

McDaniels is 100% correct and his wishes should be respected. Like the men on the floor of Wal-Mart who work part time, for minimum wage, in order to make the big box company more profitable as they sell trinkets made in China, McDaniels work is being squeezed. He and D.M.C created something of worth, which the big box corps do not want to pay for. And as some might say, why should they, it's "only copyright" after all, and intellectual property is not as important a actual physical property. People think it's okay when Paris Hilton is a born billionaire due to her grandfathers hotel chain, but it's horrific if the Eames' children can make a living off the chairs you see in literally every hip millennial office today.

It's quite sad that someone, like McDaniels. who should be at the point in their life where they are enjoying the fruits of their labor for creating culture have to fight for their right to protect it, but hey-- a bunch of free culture idiots paved the way with their philosophies. Kind of hypocritical for someone who downloads the music for free to blame a company for trying to make money off the band for the same reason. No, seriously-- you enabled this mess. Your philosophy was first adopted by money grabbing tech companies like Kim DotCom's Megaupload and BitTorrent who made billions off of content creators. They are as bad as the Wal-Marts and Amazon's of this world. You need to put your big boy pants on and own up to all the collateral damage you sowed.src="adland.tv/ollateral-damage-how-free-culture-destroys-advertising">collateral damage you sowed.

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