• Celebrity News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 26, 2024

OutKast Files Lawsuit Against Atlanta EDM Group ATLiens For Trademark Infringement

Attorneys for Big Boi and Andre 3000 have filed paperwork in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia

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The term ATLiens was introduced to the lexicon by Georgia hip-hop duo OutKast when they released their second album under that name in 1996. The term was how they referred to themselves–a combination of their hometown of Atlanta and aliens. Now, the group is suing an EDM group that calls themselves ATLiens.

According to Rolling Stone, attorneys for Big Boi and Andre 3000, the two members of OutKast, have filed a lawsuit under their trademark holding company, High Schoolers LLC, against ATLiens, an Atlanta-based EDM group.

The paperwork was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia on Aug. 20.

“Upon information and belief, Defendant selected the name ATLiens for their EDM duo to trade upon the tremendous fame and goodwill associated with Plaintiff’s ATLiens album, song, and mark, or, at a minimum, to call to consumers’ minds Plaintiff’s famous ATLiens album, song, and mark,” the lawsuit states.

The EDM duo registered the ATLiens name as a service mark (according to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, a trademark is used for goods, while a service mark is used for services) with the U.S. patent office, unbeknownst to OutKast in 2020. High Schoolers, LLC has five ATLiens registrations pending. “Plaintiff also did not give consent or approval to Defendant to file a service mark application directed to the ATLiens mark or any variation thereof,” it says in the lawsuit.

“This is a basic brand protection issue,” Abigail J. Remore and Peter Nussbaum, the attorneys representing the Atlanta-based hip-hop group, said. “Efforts to resolve this matter amicably were unfortunately unsuccessful, and OutKast, therefore, had to file suit in order to protect the valuable name and trademark ATLiens that it created and has continuously used for nearly 30 years.”

The EDM group’s use of the name has caused confusion, especially since they perform with masks, shielding their identity. OutKast asserts “senior rights” since the album ATLiens initially came out in 1996. Merchandise sold with the term established “common law rights” in the 1990s, where the EDM duo claims to have first used the mark in 2012. The hip-hop duo has requested a Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Cancellation Proceeding.

“The word ATLiens was invented by OutKast. Before OutKast created it, it was not used in the cultural lexicon and did not exist.”

RELATED CONTENT: Andre 3000 (And His Flute) Return To Atlanta For Free Jazz Fest

• Politics

by Sharelle B. McNair

August 26, 2024

Florida Initiative Unites Black Men For Empowerment And Voter Education Ahead Of 2024 Election

The Black Men Win Tailgate united men in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties in a get-out-the-vote effort.

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WLRN reports that the group Black Men Win Together launched a new initiative to bring together men from across South Florida for a day of empowerment and voter education. 

In collaboration with the South Florida Black Prosperity Alliance, the inaugural Black Men Win Tailgate took place on Aug. 25 in Miami as a free way to connect with men in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. Co-Founder Ed Ponder described the event as more than just a gathering—he said it is a call to action, encouraging participants to actively engage in the political landscape and push for meaningful change in their communities beyond the 2024 election season. “We are excited to launch the Black Men Win Tailgate,” Ponder said. 

“We are creating a space where Black men can share knowledge, build community, and drive meaningful change.”

Attendees enjoyed food trucks, vendors, and educational sessions while visiting voter verification and registration stations. With voting rights for Black voters under attack nationwide, participants engaged in discussions on issues impacting the Black community with access to fact-checking on statements from Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

“This is starting a legacy. It’s making history. It means a lot for a group of Black men to have a vision and for others to come on board to push and highlight that vision,” South Florida Black Prosperity Alliance Co-Founder Eric Knowles said of the event’s significance. 

“We don’t always have safe places for Black men to collaborate and support each other. We’re all in this together.”

Black men have emerged as a key demographic in discussions about the 2024 presidential election. As Harris has refocused the lens on Black men, both parties have highlighted the concerns of the group who often feel their experiences and voter preferences are pushed aside in public debate ahead of the election.

According to Miami Times Online, Jefferson Noel, founder of Barbershop Speaks, celebrated the group’s event, saying it hyped him up. “Being a part of Black men getting together and empowering each other fuels me,” Noel said. 

Black Men Win has been fueled up since Harris announced her campaign. Just days after she embarked on her journey to the White House, the group raised over $1.3 million from over 17,000 donors.

Other groups focused on Black men are also getting the word out about voting and election matters. The Alpha PAC, one of the country’s most prolific Black male PACs, endorsed Harris’ candidacy. In a statement, chair Everett B. Ward labeled Harris “the clear choice for the nation’s future.” In Atlanta, the Black Man Lab hosts a weekly “safe, sacred, and healing space,” seeing 100 men per week. 

RELATED CONTENT: Black Men Discuss Key Topics In The 2024 Presidential Election