Earlier this year, the Beastie Boys racked up $1.7 million following a lawsuit against Monster Energy Drink for illegally using their music for a promotional video, and now Capitol Records and Universal-Polygram International Publishing are coming for their cut as they are suing the popular beverage company for copyright infringement involving several songs from the Beastie Boys.
According to Yahoo! News, Capitol Records and Universal-Polygram are suing Monster Energy for $1.2 million for illegally using five tracks from the Beastie Boys during a promotional sports video.
The video was reportedly used as a promotion for an annual snowboarding competition that Monster organizes and sponsors in Canada called "Ruckus in the Rockies."
The clip featured the competition and an after-party attended by disc jockeys, including Z-Trip, who remixed Beastie Boys songs. It was uploaded to YouTube by Monster.
It also concluded with a sentence saying "RIP MCA." Adam Yauch, a Beastie Boys member known as "MCA," died a day before the May 2012 snowboarding event after a battle with cancer.
As reported by XXL, it was revealed through Yauch that any use of the group's music through a promotional and/or advertisement setting is strictly prohibited.
Back in June, the Beastie Boys were awarded $1.7 million for copyright infringement and false endorsement. Monster has said it would appeal and is seeking a new trial.
The songs at issue in both cases include Beastie Boys tunes such as "Sabotage," "So Watcha Want" and "Make Some Noise."
A spokesman for Universal Music, a subsidiary of Vivendi SA, reportedly declined to comment on the suit.
Stay tuned for more updates.
