Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson are being sued for their hit single Uptown Funk.
The female rap trio The Sequence believes the song is ‘too similar’ to their hit Funk You Up released in 1979.
The group is seeking a jury trial and financial restitution as Uptown Funk has ‘significant and substantially similar compositional elements’ of Funk You Up according to documents obtained by TMZ.
Hot water: Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson are being sued for their hit single Uptown Funk by the female rap trio The Sequence; (pictured 2016)
The Sequence was the first female rap team signed to the Sugar Hill label and one of the pioneers of old school hip hop.
The group consisted of Cheryl Cook, Gwendolyn Chisolm, and lead singer/rapper Angie Brown Stone.
When released, Funk You Up was the third rap song ever to reach Billboard’s Top 50 Singles.
Now the rappers want an undisclosed amount of money from the singer – Mars- and songwriter – Ronson- of Uptown Funk.
Copycats: The group is seeking a jury trial and financial restitution as Uptown Funk has ‘significant and substantially similar compositional elements’ of Funk You Up
Both Mars and Ronson have found themselves in legal trouble before over copyright issues with the song.
In September, a suit was filed by Lastrada Entertainment Company, Ltd., the music publishing house that holds the copyright to Zapp’s 1980 song More Bounce to the Ounce.
The court documents claimed: ‘Mark Ronson failed in his goal to write something new. Substantial parts of ‘Uptown Funk’ were copied from ‘More Bounce to the Ounce.’
Past troubles: In September, a suit was filed by Lastrada Entertainment Company, Ltd., the music publishing house that holds the copyright to Zapp’s 1980 song More Bounce to the Ounce. (Zapp pictured in 1982)
‘The significant and substantial similarities between the two songs have been widely commented on by ordinary observers, musicians, independent critics and commentators.’
The lawsuit draws comparisons to the settlement Marvin Gaye’s family received after Robin Thicke and Pharell Williams’ Blurred Lines unintentionally copied Gaye’s 1977 hit Got to Give It Up.
Mars and Ronson have yet to comment.
Claims: The court documents claimed: ‘Mark Ronson failed in his goal to write something new. Substantial parts of ‘Uptown Funk’ were copied from ‘More Bounce to the Ounce.’