Popular Guyanese singer Eddy Grant wins copyright lawsuit against Trump….

Popular Guyanese singer Eddy Grant has secured a significant victory in his copyright lawsuit against former US President Donald Trump. Grant sued Trump in 2020 over the unauthorized use of his iconic 1982 hit song “Electric Avenue” in a campaign video ¹.

The video, which was posted on Twitter, featured a 55-second animation showing then-presidential candidate Joe Biden struggling to keep up with a “Trump Train” ². The animation used Grant’s song without permission, prompting the singer to take legal action.

In his ruling, US District Judge John Koeltl rejected Trump’s argument that the use of the song constituted fair use, stating that the video had a “very low degree of transformativeness, if any at all” ³. The judge also noted that the song was “immediately recognizable” and played a significant part in the video’s overall message.

Grant had requested $300,000 in damages, but the court has yet to determine the final amount ³. This victory marks a significant win for Grant and sets a precedent for copyright protection in the music industry.

Eddy Grant is not the only artist to take issue with Trump’s use of their music without permission. Other notable artists, including Beyoncé, Celine Dion, and the Foo Fighters, have also spoken out against Trump’s campaign using their music without consent ³.