$250 million GTA: San Andreas lawsuit fails
Appeals court judge denies supposed Cypress Hill backup singer's claims that Rockstar used his likeness as model for CJ character.
Rockstar Games parent company Take-Two Interactive has won a lawsuit over Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, writes The Hollywood Reporter. An appellate court judge on Wednesday denied supposed Cypress Hill backup singer Michael "Shagg" Washington's claims that Rockstar used his life story and physical appearance as a basis for protagonist Carl "CJ" Johnson. Cypress Hill denies any association with Washington.
Washington sued Take-Two in 2010 for $250 million, alleging that during the course of the game's development, he met with Rockstar to discuss details regarding his former life as a gang member. He even provided the company with a photo of himself and his name appears in the GTA: San Andreas credits.
However, a judge did not find this to be enough, and a California appeals court has concurred. Washington's principal problem was that he could not prove it was his likeness that appeared in San Andreas. The judge said, "Plaintiff is relying entirely on CJ's physical appearance in the game, but that appearance is so generic that it necessarily includes hundreds of other black males."
Additionally, the judge ruled that even if Rockstar did base CJ on Washington, it would have been protected as transformative fair use. This is an argument based on the fact that the First Amendment allows existing materials, including images, to be used so long as they are amended enough for a new purpose.
"Washington has presented no evidence demonstrating that the plot or characters of GTA: San Andreas have any relevance to his life or his purported fame," a statement from the decision reads.
[CORRECTION] According to a tweet from Cypress Hill, Washington is not affiliated with the band. GameSpot regrets the error.
Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He lives in Connecticut, works out of the company's New York City office, and loves extra chunky peanut butter.
HD remake of GTA SA anyone? I'm very keen for it even though i think it is a pipe dream.
Wow, he isn't even associated with the band? That's just doubly wrong.
Sure, file a lawsuit against an extremely popular video game developer because the protagonist looks somewhat like me. I really WISH that would happen, I'm sure many of us would. Actually, I would support Take Two. Goddammit, people even sue people for farting on them. Things changed around here!
Maybe if his lawyer had advised him to pursue a more reasonable sum of money? 250 million? c'mon, what a joke.
I neeeeed a dolla, dolla, dolla that's what I need and if I share with you my story , would you share your dolla with me?
He wanted 250 million dollars because he thought the character resembled him and his life? Ok. I think this guy has an ego problem.
CJ is based on me cus i murder people, lie, cheat, steal, do drugs, and pick up hookers. Where is my millions?
I started out in the hood, with a bicycle. I sometimes wear a wife-beater, and I love me some hot coffee. Maybe I've got a case too.
Will the real slim shady please stand up
HA HA. Back-up singer trying to get paid. I'm not mad at him for trying. Seriously.
Been told i look like Ezio, maybe i should sue Ubisoft lol
I've been told I look a lot like Duke Nukem,..
I DO look like the PS3! Sony, I want my money back!
Just another nut trying to scam money out of a huge corporation (a.k.a. business as usual lol). He seriously thought he would win a case like that?.... -_-
well that is insane in the membrane ;-)
Just herd Samuel L Jackson is suing Rockstar for his likeness to officer Ten Penny in the Game :-D
LJMStrike Oh how it almost makes you want to kill a man, which is something i can't understand
Judge says "How can you tell? They all look alike to me!!"
LOL whoops! Well that was fast, what a grade-A loser.
I'm the real CJ.
....... LMFAO!!!!!!!!
man, makuch. can you change the title of the article? you're giving cypress hill a bad rep.
i mean the header....
sounds like cypress hill needs a little pocket change since they are broke.
oh wow.... forgot to read the last line... whew, thought cypress hill sold the fuck out.
CJ does kind of look like Shagg, but since they r both walking stereotypes it doesnt matter :D
simon1812 lulz
Why are rappers so obsessed with gangster crap? Is being a self centered, drug using, and killing for stupid sh*t that 5 year olds call honor (basiclly a gangster) really something to be proud of?
Skyrim25 There's a lot that aren't"gangsters" don't stereotype a music genre that you obviously don't listen to
Skyrim25 it's what they grow up next to, do you expect them to go research and drop rhymes about the refined sensibilities of Victorian era Britain? they're writing songs to make money, about harsh lifestyles with very little rules and people taking what they want. they're exploiting all of society's already existing obsession with gangs & crime.
Skyrim25 if you honestly think all rappers are about the gangster culture then you need to get out more. Basing your opinion on a small group makes you look ignorant, what rapper have you ever heard of condoning killing kids and doing drugs ?? nearly ALL rappers regardless of lyrics are against harming others. Just because they rap about the REAL world doesnt make them wrong, there are crack addicts, meth addicts, heroine addicts, and every type of addict that exist in the real world, just because you choose too pretend its not there doesnt make it so. You cannot fault rappers for using crime based lyrics, especially if that what sells to young whites, latins, asians, and blacks. They are in the business of making money, in case you haven't noticed, drama, violence, crime, etc sells. The most watched shows on television, walking dead, sons of anarchy, boardwalk empire, and breaking bad have more killing and crime than any rap song. All of those shows have little black presence, but they sell because people of today. People who think like you are luckily dying out, just because its not your cup of tea doesn't make it stupid shit, it called entertainment for a reason. People look at his/her name for christ sakes lmao, "Skyrim" a game i LOVE but welcomes you with a beheading. Hypocrisy much ??
Skyrim25 So is the Mafia and Politics every race has their corrupt people.
aw shit... I remember pretending I was CJ at school... fuck, I gota run to Mexico
Rats... I was going to sue them because a character looked like me. Well that blows it then.
Racist judge and Idiot man who tryng to make easy money, he Tried to use Thughtools to Robe bank but did not worked seems.
wexorian lol wut
I like how it took him so long to try this, I mean this game is 8 years old
Any gangster story is alike,they did not need him for that.
Borrizee GTA: SA is basically Boyz in the Hood with a LOT more violence. Rockstar even said that they based a lot of that game off of Boyz in the Hood. If you haven't seen it its a good movie, and its especially fun to try to spot all the buildings Rockstar modeled off of exactly from the movie (there's a lot).
@vault-boy i know one of the best gangsta movies there is. I did not know that about the buildings,thanks. Have the movie on dvd so have a reason to look at it again. Cheers.
Borrizee No problems, look at some of the houses, there is one with a red roof in it that is modeled exactly after the one in Boyz in the Hood, you can see it in the final scene with Darrin and Tre.
Borrizee Oh, and just a fun fact. The guy who played the person who murdered Ricky and then was murdered in the movie is played by Lloyd Avery II who was convicted of murdered and then was murdered himself while in prison. Irony!!!
@vault-boy damn,you no to much. Again thanks for inside info.
Pompous jackass trying to cash in on a popular franchise. They should sue him for it!
Trying to top the old bank account up!
I wonder how many people he bragged to about being the main character for this game? You know he did. Hiphopcrisy anyone?
Sorry, that last half sentence was lame.
@tightwad34 Maybe
im glad he lost. just trying to get rich quick
all these people in games look like humans
God should SUE.....
omg all these characters in games must be breathing air right!! like me ....SUEEEEEEEEE, oh look that street looks like my street!!...SUEEEEEEEEEEEE, omg I have the same knife..SUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
honestly I thank God that most judges still have common sense
Another washed up junkie trying to make some money....Hey Shagg...go greet shoppers at Wal Mart scumbag. You don't see all the people that South Park makes fun of and they use the real name of the people most of the time and you can tell they are making fun of them. But I guess they put that warning up before every episode stating that any likeness is only by coincidence.....but still EVERYONE knows what they are doing....so I can just see it now......when every game loads you will get that same message, unless endorsed by a specific "real" person......so sad....lol
Killer6b9 Its actually, South Pack did get themselves into troubles a few times, or it was Family guy? couldn't remember.
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Related Game
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Publisher(s): Rockstar Games
- Developer(s): Rockstar North
- Genre: Action
- Release: Jun 7, 2005 (US)
- ESRB: M
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