OutKast has hit EDM duo ATLiens with a lawsuit, alleging that their artist name is a blatant infringement on the iconic title of OutKast’s now-iconic 1996 album of the same name.
On Aug. 20, two lawyers representing Big Boi and André 3000 argued that the name ATLiens (which is a combination of “aliens” and the rappers’ hometown of Atlanta) is a novel term and that the EDM artists are causing confusion by using it.
“The word ATLiens was invented by OutKast,” the collective said in their lawsuit, according to Billboard. “Before OutKast created it, it was not used in the cultural lexicon and did not exist. Defendant’s use of the ATLiens mark is likely to cause confusion, to cause mistake or to deceive the public.”
ATLiens is OutKast’s sophomore album, which spent 33 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart, which features all genres. The song “ATLiens” peaked at No. 35 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and spent 17 weeks on the chart.
The lawsuit claims that the classic track is “one of OutKast’s most well-known and well-regarded songs” and that the EDM duo “continues to perform ‘ATLiens’ at nearly all (if not every single one) of its full-length live performances.”
Per Billboard, ATLiens started using their name in 2012. In the suit, OutKast claims that they were unaware of the group until recently.
In their claim, OutKast states that they are both musical duos hailing from Atlanta who perform in “related musical genres.” They also claim that fans could mistake the group for Big Boi and André 3000 due to their onstage costumes.
“The duo comprising defendant performs with masks on, thereby concealing their identities such that consumers will mistakenly believe that the members of Defendant are one and the same with — or at least somehow connected to — plaintiff,” the lawyers representing Outkast said.
OutKast insists that attempts were made to “negotiate an amicable resolution to the dispute” but the EDM duo persists in using the name and has even created a poster that resembles one used by OutKast.
“Management for OutKast has already received communications from third-parties querying whether OutKast was affiliated with defendant’s upcoming show,” the lawyers said.
At the moment, reps for ATLiens have yet to comment on the lawsuit.
