Los Angeles, CA – Christian rapper Flame’s victory in a copyright infringement lawsuit against Katy Perry has been reversed. According to documents obtained by XXL, a judge has thrown out the original ruling in the case.
Last year, a jury determined Perry’s hit single “Dark Horse” copied Flame’s song “Joyful Noise.” Flame was awarded $2.78 million, most of which would be paid by Capitol Records.
Perry was on the hook for $550,000. Dr. Luke was ordered to pay $60,000 while songwriter Max Martin faced the heftier sum of $250,000.
But Judge Christina A. Snyder of the Central District of California has ruled no copyright infringement actually took place. As a result, Perry and company won’t be paying anything to Flame.
“The court agrees that the uncontroverted evidence points to only one conclusion: that none of these individual elements are independently protectable,” Snyder wrote in her ruling.
Christian Rapper Wins $2.78M In “Dark Horse” Lawsuit Against Katy Perry
Perry, her collaborators and Capitol aren’t out of the woods yet though. The judge has confirmed she would “conditionally grant a new trial” if an appeals court disagreed with her reversal of the case.
Compare Flame’s “Joyful Noise” to Perry’s “Dark Horse” above.