Robin Thicke, T.I., and Pharrell Williams have preemptively countersued Marvin Gaye’s estate and Bridgeport Music, the owner of some Funkadelic compositions. The two entities have reportedly been seeking money from all three artists, claiming “Blurred Lines” is an unsanctioned copy of both Gaye’s 1977 track “Got To Give It Up” and Funkadelic’s “Sexy Ways.” In their countersuit, the three artists are claiming that, while they were obviously influenced by the cowbell-driven groove in “Got To Give It Up,” they didn’t sample anything, arguing that their composition is wholly original. They also point out that Gaye’s family is claiming “Blurred Lines” copies the “feel” of Marvin Gaye’s work—and "feel" isn't something that’s able to be copyrighted. “Gaye's defendants are claiming ownership of an entire genre, as opposed to a specific work,” the suit argues, adding that “the intent in producing 'Blurred Lines' was to evoke an era.”


Though Gaye’s family and Bridgeport haven’t actually filed their suit yet, Thicke, T.I., and Williams are moving to get the case quickly into court, hoping to have a judge rule on the matter rather than face the threats any longer. [via The Hollywood Reporter]