Marvin Gaye III plans to file a lawsuit against Lee Daniels, FOX and others over their hit television show Empire, which Gaye says was his idea, according to TMZ.
In 2010, Gaye says that he registered the idea for a show called Diamonds & Ballads (aka Those Sons Of Riches!), a treatment that detailed a program about “a music based ‘black’ and ‘hip’ version of Dynasty … with a little Sopranos.”
Gaye says that Daniels’ associates were pitched his treatment. He also says that, in 2014, Daniels says that he wanted to make a Black Dynasty.
Gaye’s claim is not the only one questioning the ethics of Empire‘s production team. In December, 50 Cent said that the advertising for Empire was too similar to the promotion for Power, the Starz network program in which he stars and that he executive produces.
In February, Empire became the only primetime scripted series to grow in total viewers over each of its first five telecasts since at least 1991.
The second season of Empire is set to launch on FOX September 23.
For additional Empire coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
First blurred lines by Robin Thicke now this. FFS is that all what this family do? Seeing me. For fuck sake come sue me let’s see if u’ll get a dime
I sang Sexual Healing at karaoke night last night. Now I’m waking up worried how much I’m going to be sued.
I was told a long time ago that if u have a good idea, keep it to yourself or someone else will get rich off of it. OF COURSE he is going to sue after the series being successful. At least 50 complained about it when the series first launched.
Rich or poor, America is full of leaches. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Another lawsuit smh
At the time that 50 Cent was complaining about Empire, he was also calling them up, and asking if he could be cast on the show. That tells us everything that we need to know about 50. With success comes people who are going to be jealous.
Lol, making a living outta suing people.
We loved Marvin’s music 40 years ago, but the Gaye offspring are F*CKED UP! That BS suing Pharrell, Thicke & TI over an honor to pops was f*cked up, IDIOTS are coming ‘out of the woodwork’ that THEY ‘had a similar ideas to EMPIRE’……… it’s a common ‘story’, GO GET A LIFE! These Gaye bastards are KILLIN’ the Gaye name & legacy pops made! Hope they have BAD KARMA times a million come crashin’ down on their head!
Them Gaye’s always sueing… smh.
Why cant niggas be successful without somebody trying to sue?
Didn’t you get enough money from robin and pharrell and t I? You should have sued your grandfather while he was alive for killing your father. When someone is successful, all the pigs come out. You just need to be noticed.
All these people suing Empire are just money grubbing trolls.
Just because you had a similar premise doesn’t mean it’s your show. You don’t own the “Black Version” of Dynasty, The Sopranos, or any other idea.
Empire is based on the 1966 play “The Lion in Winter” by James Goldman.
The play’s about an ailing King who’s ex wife has returned from a decade of imprisonment and the two along with their 3 sons fight for control of their empire.
(“The Lion” /Lyon, the King favors his youngest son, and he has a young new wife…pretty much Lucious)
So unless these people own the rights to this play, they have no business suing the show for “stealing” their idea.
Marvin Gaye III stop being a hater! wtf is wrong with you? always trying make money from someone success. Didn’t you get enough money from robin and pharrell ? let a young nigga get paid, nigga damn #nosense