A legal battle has erupted between Atlanta hip-hop pioneers Outkast and the EDM duo ATLiens. Outkast has filed a lawsuit claiming that ATLiens’ use of the name “ATLiens” infringes on their trademark.
Attorneys for Outkast argue that ATLiens’ use of the name “ATLiens” infringes on Outkast’s trademark. They claim ATLiens has “caused actual confusion” among music fans, stemming from ATLiens sharing their name with a 1996 Outkast album that sold over 2 million copies.
“The album’s title is a portmanteau of ‘ATL’ — an abbreviation for Atlanta, Georgia — and the word ‘aliens,'” the lawsuit reads. “The word ATLiens was invented by Outkast. Before Outkast created it, it was not used in the cultural lexicon and did not exist. The term ATLiens is inextricably associated with Outkast.”
The lawsuit claims people mistakenly believe the DJ duo ATLiens is somehow connected with Outkast. Lawyers point to ATLiens advertisements they say mimics Outkast’s brand as well as “communications from third-parties querying whether Outkast was affiliated with Defendant’s upcoming show.”
The lawsuit says Outkast attempted to find an “amicable resolution to the dispute.”
Management for ATLiens did not respond to EDMTunes‘ request for comment.
The Outkast ATLiens trademark lawsuit asks that ATLiens be banned from using ‘ATLiens’ and pay unspecified monetary damages.