Judge Rules for Eminem in Rap Battle

Judge Lynch ruled that the publisher of The Source, Source Enterprises, had violated his injunction by publishing on its Web site (www.thesource.com) lyrics ascribed to Eminem. The lyrics, which disparage black women, are several years old, written before Eminem acquired his fame. The judge said their publication by The Source carried the potential to impair the credibility of Eminem, who is white. Eminem has acknowledged writing them but described them as a product of adolescent heartbreak.

[…] The magazine cast its publication of the lyrics as a journalistic exposé....

[Court] found that The Source was in civil contempt for publishing the lyrics on its Web site, where a lawyer for Shady Records found them.

NYT [via Furdlog]

Judge OKs 'Source' Excerpt Of Eminem Song (12/24/03) Last week, the same New York federal judge who granted Eminem an injunction against distribution of a previously unreleased recording that includes potentially racially charged lyrics such as 'black girls are dumb', will allow The Source to distribute limited excerpts (up to 20 seconds) of the material in its February issue which hits newsstands on Jan. 12 2004.

The judge stated that limited reproduction of the recording falls within the magazine's right to 'fair use' of copyrighted material for the purpose of criticism.

Eminem has said the recording was "foolishness" that he made as a teenager "out of anger, stupidity and frustration" after breaking up with a black girlfriend. [source: Billboard.com]