Lawsuit filed over Playaz Circle

There are two ways to know when you've arrived. One when a bunch of baseless rumors starting circling around about you, the other is when you start raking up lawsuits. Well, 2 Chainz has officially blown up. Allhiphop reports:

Ludacris’ label Distribing Tha Peace and Island Def Jam Music Group have been hit with a civil lawsuit over the use of the name and logo for Playaz Circle, a Hip-Hop group that featured rapper 2Chainz aka Tity Boi and his partner, Dolla Boy.

Torrey Cook filed the lawsuit on August 30, in the United States District Court for the Northern Division of Atlanta.

According to the lawsuit, Torrey Cook is the owner of the Playaz Circle trademark, which marketed the group under the same name as the label.

Cook says he has been using the Playaz Circle name in commerce since 1995, as a consultant to new artists.

The lawsuit claims that Disturbing Tha Peace has released three compilations or albums that included recordings of the group Playaz Circle, the group that featured 2Chainz, prior to his rise to mainstream solo success.

Cook admits that he worked with 2Chainz, born Tauheed Epps and Dolla, born Earl Conyers, as Playaz Circle, but said he never gave the pair permission to use the name and trademark.

“Mr. Cook made it very clear to all involved, at every juncture, that the name Playaz Circle was trademarked and that it belonged exclusively to him,” the lawsuit reads. “Further Mr. Epps and Mr. Conyers confirmed that they understood that the Mark belonged to Mr. Cook.”

It appears that Cook has no issue with 2Chainz or Dolla, since neither of the rappers are named in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims that counsel for Torrey Cook attempted to contact Disturbing Tha Peace and Def Jam reps and when they finally reached an agreement, it was never executed, because the reps simply stopped replying.

Disturbing Tha Peace and Island Def Jam are accused of profiting off of the name and logo for Playaz Circle.

Disturbing Tha Peace and Island Def Jam Music Group are being sued for trademark infringement, trademark dilution by blurring and attorney fees.