Texas Judge Dismisses Cardi B Copyright Suit

A federal judge in Texas dismissed a lawsuit on Monday accusing rapper Cardi B and her record labels of copying elements from an earlier song for her 2024 hit "Enough Miami." The ruling ended nearly two years of litigation brought by musicians Joshua Fraustro and Miguel Aguilar, who perform as the production duo Kemikal 956.

The plaintiffs filed the case in July 2024 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, alleging that Cardi B, whose legal name is Belcalis Almanzar, along with Atlantic Records and Warner Music Group, infringed on their 2021 track "Greasy Frybread." The song, produced for rapper Sten Joddi, featured a melody and bassline that Fraustro and Aguilar claimed appeared in "Enough Miami," released in March 2024. They sought damages for copyright infringement, defamation, unfair competition, and misappropriation of intellectual property, asserting that the alleged copying harmed their business and reputation. "Greasy Frybread" gained recognition as a promotional track for the FX series "Reservation Dogs," accumulating over 920,000 views on YouTube since its upload.

U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. ruled that the court lacked personal...