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Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty Rapper 2 Milly is going forward with his lawsuit against Epic Games, the studio behind the addictive video game Fortnite. The rapper doesn’t want anyone Milly Rocking on any block in the game anymore, unless Epic Games cuts a check. Speaking with TMZ exclusively , 2 Milly admits he didn’t know anything about Fortnite until people started hitting him up on social media telling him his dance moves were jacked and being used in the game. He added his daughter even pointed out the similar dance moves players can make their in-game characters do. The Milly Rock didn’t start showing up in the game till season 5 back in July, and the rapper wasn’t aware his dance move called the “Swipe It” was being sold for use in the game till months after. Per TMZ : “The rapper filed legal docs this week against Epic Games — the company that makes Fortnite Battle Royale — for allegedly using his popular Milly Rock moves in the game without his permission to capitalize on the popular dance craze … and make a ton of cash.” “According to the docs … Fortnite players can purchase the dance — which is called “Swipe It” in the game — for their characters. Problem is … 2 Milly claims “Swipe It” is an exact replica of his Milly Rock, but they never asked him to use it or offered to pay him for it.” According to the docs, 2 Milly is suing Epic for legal fees and damages and wants the dance deleted from the game. The “Swipe It” is no longer being sold but if players already purchased it, they can still use it. The Milly Rock is not the only Hip-Hop dance move in the game, Snoop Dogg’s signature moves from his “Drop It Like It’s Hot” video and Alfonso Ribiero’s “Carlton dance” are also available for purchase and use in the game. 2 Milly’s attorney David L. Hecht of Pierce Bainbridge Beck Price & Hecht LLP speaking to TMZ that his firm “proud to stand up for African-American creatives whose expression and likenesses have misappropriated. Epic is enjoying record profits off of downloadable content in Fortnite, yet has failed to pay or even ask permission to use artists’ intellectual property and likenesses over many of its popular emote dances.” 2 Milly has a lot of people on his side including fellow Hip-Hop artist Chance The Rapper. Fortnite should put the actual rap songs behind the dances that make so much money as Emotes. Black creatives created and popularized these dances but never monetized them. Imagine the money people are spending on these Emotes being shared with the artists that made them — Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) July 13, 2018 While he has allies, history isn’t on his side, and this might be an uphill battle. There is no case law surrounding the copyrighting of choreography. We wouldn’t be shocked if Epic and the rapper reached some sort of settlement. We wish him luck in getting his coins though. — Photo: Johnny Nunez / Getty
2 Milly Suing Epic Games For Jacking The Milly Rock & Selling It For Use In ‘Fortnite’
