Beastie Boys Wins Lawsuit Versus Monster Energy Drink; Earns $1.7 Million Verdict

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Music

The Beastie Boys hit it bigtime as the Brooklyn-born band won a $1.7 million copyright lawsuit battle against Monster Beverage over their unlicensed usage of their hits in a 2012 promotional video.

"We're happy," Beastie Boys member Adam Horovitz, or Ad-Rock , said after the decision was finally made on the eight day of trail in Manhattan. He added that they "just want to thank the jury" for their decision.

Another member, Michael Diamond, or "Mike D," also showed support after attending trials and testifying against the company.

The Beastie Boys' songs were used by the Monster Beverage in their promotional video, resulting to the filing of copyright infringement and false endorsement lawsuit against the beverage company, according to a Chicago Tribune report.

In their complaint, the group said that California-based company's promotions had conveyed the impression of having Beastie Boys' permission to use their name and their music in their internet postings, and video, as well as MP3s for their events and products.

The promo video for Monster's Ruckus in the Rockies event, an annual snowboarding competition, used a four-minute remix of the groups' "Sabotage," "So Whatcha Want" and "Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun" and was uploaded in Youtube.

The songs are from the Beastie Boys Sound Recordings and the Beastie Boys Musical Compositions.

The video even concluded with a message for another member Adam Yauch, who died of cancer a day before the event.

E! News said that a $2.5 million lawsuit was first sought but Monster contradicted the "illogical" case, saying that there is no more than $125,000. Monster even added that an employee was just misguided thinking they have the permission to use the Beastie Boys' music.

On the other hand, the Monster company, through their lawyer Reid Kahn, said they would appeal for the court's decision.

"The plaintiffs try to take the undisputed evidence and spin some tale of an insidious corporate conspiracy," he added.

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