MF DOOM’s legacy and its correct preservation hangs within the stability in a authorized battle between his widow, Jasmine Dumile Thompson, and his former collaborator and label govt, Eothen “Egon” Alapatt. Furthermore, the latter claims that the previous’s lawsuit in opposition to him for allegedly stealing DOOM’s notebooks from a Los Angeles studio is “baseless and libelous.” Egon’s legal professional Kenneth Freundlich expressed in a courtroom submitting on Tuesday (November 14) that this year-long narrative falsely represents his consumer’s character and misunderstands the state of affairs. For these unaware, Thompson claimed that Egon unrightfully purchased 31 “rhyme books” of unique materials, concepts, “musings, and different artistic ideations” from the aforementioned studio’s landlord.
This was when DOOM was out of the US, as he left for his birthplace of London in 2010 for a present and was not allowed reentry into the U.S. primarily based on immigration points. Moreover, Thompson and her authorized staff allege that Egon by no means consulted with MF DOOM about this buy. When he requested for them again, she claims, the previous Stones Throw supervisor “delayed, obfuscated and deflected” whereas refusing to return them. Not solely that, however the New York MC’s widow claims that Egon actively went in opposition to his needs that they continue to be “secret and confidential.” As an alternative, he needs them to go to right into a public archive.
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MF DOOM Performing In London In 2013
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – NOVEMBER 16: DOOM performs on stage at The Discussion board on November 16, 2013 in London, United Kingdom. (Picture by C Brandon/Redferns by way of Getty Pictures)
However, in Tuesday’s authorized response, Egon and his staff admitted to assuming possession of MF DOOM’s notebooks, however denied that he was their authorized proprietor after they got here into Egon’s possession, which is why he purchased them from the L.A. studio’s landlord, which additionally had lots of unpaid lease. If not for this, they allege, then this entity would’ve put the pads up for buy or destroyed them altogether. As well as, they claimed that Egon reached out to DOOM to get these again to him, however that he by no means adopted up and “appeared to have fully forgotten his prior dialogue” with the manager. One factor that this response confirmed is that Egon will solely return the notebooks if a digital model of them goes to an archive, of which his attorneys steered “the Cornell Hip-Hop Archive, the Smithsonian, or one other accredited archive of their selecting.”
In the meantime, Freundlich claims this initiative would protect and champion “valuable artifacts of hip-hop historical past.” “Students and researchers [can] examine DOOM’s creativity and additional entrench his artistic genius- not simply in hip-hop, however in [United States] historical past. Somewhat than settle for [Egon]’s beneficiant provide, plaintiffs selected to proceed their hurtful, and defamatory assaults in opposition to [him] by submitting this frivolous criticism.” For extra information and the most recent updates on MF DOOM, keep logged into HNHH.
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