American Rap Mogul, Jay Z Appears in Court to Testify in Song Copyright Trial

Jay Z and producer, Timbaland spotted leaving court

Jay Z and  Timbaland, were in a Los Angeles courtroom on Tuesday and Wednesday 13th and 14th over copyright infringement over their 1999 hit collaboration, 'Big Pimpin'.

The Associated Press (AP) reports that the two are being sued by the heirs of Baligh Hamdi, an Egyptian composer who created the 1957 song 'Khosara Khosara' that has elements featured in the rapper's hit. Jay Z spent 90 minutes answering a series of questions and recounting his life, successes, and the creative process that led him and Timbaland to create 'Big Pimpin'.

According to AP, Jay Z even brought out physical copies of his 1999 album Vol. 3 Life and Times of S. Carter to show the juror the liner notes that credit 'Khosara Khosara'. “We have the rights as you can see on the bottom of the CD,” Mr Carter told jurors.

The Roc Nation mogul further went on to explain that he thought the rights to “Khosara Khosara” had been properly negotiated after issues were raised following the release of 'Big Pimpin'.

According to their lawyers, Hamdi’s family had been repeatedly paid for the use of 'Khosara Khosara', the song in which four of its 74 notes are repeated throughout “Big Pimpin”, an Egyptian music expert claimed in court.