LOS ANGELES (AP) – Jay Z told a jury Wednesday that he believes he has a valid license to use Arabic music featured on his 1999 hit “Big Pimpin'” that is now the subject of a copyright infringement trial.
The rap superstar spent roughly 90 minutes testifying in a federal courtroom Wednesday, recounting his life, his successes and the creative process that led him and music producer Timbaland to create “Big Pimpin’,” which was his first major hit single.
Jay Z and Timbaland are being sued by the heirs of Baligh Hamdi, an Egyptian composer who created the 1957 hit “Khosara Khosara” that has elements featured in the rapper’s hit.
The rapper, whose real name is Shawn Carter, used one of his old CDs – introduced into evidence by a lawyer for Hamdi’s family – to illustrate his point.
“We have the rights as you can see on the bottom of the CD,” Carter told jurors, referencing liner notes that credits “Khosara Khosara.”