Bow Wow Sued By Jermaine Dupri's Father For Scream Tour Rights

Bow Wow has run into a bit of a legal problem with the use of the Scream Tour name thanks to a lawsuit brought by Jermaine Dupri‘s father, Michael Mauldin. According to court documents obtained by HipHopDX, Mauldin — a producer in his own right, who was instrumental in fostering Dupri’s career in his early days — is laying claim to what’s known as “common law” trademark, which is why he’s suing both Bow Wow (real name Shad Moss) and others. A common law trademark is one that is “established solely through use in commerce in a specific geographical area,” according to Gerbin Law. “Business names, logos, and phrases that are regularly used–even though they have never been federally registered–can all be considered common law trademarks.” Mauldin’s claim is that he’s been using the name “Scream Tour” for his own tours for the past forty years, even though he only formally trademarked the name two months after the Black Promoters Collective — who are also named in the lawsuit — filed the trademark for themselves.