Having ninety-nine problems is hardly ideal. But when one of said problems is a swarm of Jay-Z's legal eagles descending upon you, a happy ending is no longer in the cards. After all, Hov is hip-hop's first billionaire, so you can already know those lawyer's letters are stacked with the most impeccable and indecipherable legalese. According to a report from the BBC, Jay-Z has officially fired off a lawsuit at an Australian online retailer by the name of "Little Homie," who specializes in hip-hop centric books and merchandise. One such book, and the cause of Jay's ire, is "A B to Jay-Z: A Hip-Hop Inspired ABC Book."
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An official description of the project reads as follows: "If you're having alphabet problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 problems but my ABC's ain't one! This hip-hop inspired book is designed to pump up your child’s alphabet game. Let Jay-Z, Biggie Smalls, Eminem, Pharrell, Snoop Dog and more, teach your little homie their ABCs. Relive some of the greatest Rap, Hip Hop, and R&B musicians of our time, while teaching your children where it's at."
Wholesome and educational to be sure, but unlicensed all the same. Apparently, Hov fired off the lawsuit on November 22nd, and Little Homie failed to address the claims. A further report from an Australian publication details Jay's main issue, which involves unsolicited use of his likeness and lyrics. It's said that Hov initially requested A B to Jay-Z be shelved in 2018, though in their refusal, The Little Homie is "deliberately and knowingly" capitalizing off his work in a "flagrant, glaring" fashion.
[via]