On July 24 Abkco Music Inc. filed a suit against Lil Wayne and Cash Money/Universal for allegedly releasing an altered version of the Rolling Stones‘ song “Playing With Fire” without permission. Abkco seeks unspecified damages for what it believes is the use of “a clear derivative of the Rolling Stones song with the original lyrics altered in a recognizable way.”
The song was originally a B-side to the single “The Last Time,” and it can be found on the 1965 Rolling Stones album Out of Our Heads. Abkco‘s argument centers on the original Rolling Stones lyric “But don’t play with me, ’cause you’re playing with fire.” The Lil Wayne song of the same name features a similar interpretation of the lyric, with Wayne saying, “But you can’t blame me if I set this stage on fire.”
Additionally, Reuters reports Abkco believes Lil Wayne‘s version, which is included on Tha Carter III, uses “explicit, sexist and offensive language” which could reflect poorly on their company and the Rolling Stones. Representatives for Lil Wayne and Cash Money/Universal have yet to comment on the lawsuit. Tha Carter III is currently the number two album in the country with RIAA certification of over 2 million units shipped.
