Master P Calls Pepe Jeans Lawsuit 'Frivolous,' Says They're 'Hating On Him'
Published: Friday - October 3, 2008
Words by Ronnie Gamble
Master P (Photo: Take A Stand Records)
Following news of a recently filed lawsuit against his P. Miller Jeans line by London-based Pepe Jeans, in which trademark infringement is cited for the similar use of the letter "P" in the logos of their respective lines, Master P released a statement, calling the legal action "frivolous" and compares it to the shady practices of the music business.
According to Master P, he has used the letter "P" enclosed in a circle since 1989 and has never been the subject of a lawsuit. However, as he makes headlines and lands an exclusive deal with Wal-Mart, he says Pepe is "hating on him" for being the future for fashion for the less than well off.
"I went to the website of PepeJeans.com and couldn't find a circled 'P' anywhere, on their clothing, or the brand advertising within the site," explained Master P, otherwise known as P. Miller, after searching their website. "I'm the future of affordable fashion and big brands will always hate me, but they shouldn't throw stones if they live in a glass house."
"I make clothes for underprivileged and underserved families. P. Miller Designs is about diversity. We cater to the African-American and Latino customer. I'm doing something positive for the community and I'm giving back. What are they doing? Hating? I thought this kind of thing only happened in the rap game. I put out a charitable rap album last year, made no money on it, tried to send a message to the kids about taking profanity out of their music, and because it came through Wal-Mart, I was targeted with a lawsuit," the entertainment mogul added.
P's camp says he and his legal team plan to fight the suit, defend their marks and Wal-Mart, adding that they will not be the "victims of David vs. Goliath cases such as this one."
According to the rapper, high-end fashion brands are upset that he is making garments of the same materials and selling it for discounted prices, but he doesn't care.
"I'm the brand of the community. I sell jeans for $20 and t-shirts for $10," explained Master P. "People don't buy my clothes for the logo. They buy them because it's high-fashion at an affordable price. Just to prove my point, I'm confident that even if I take the circle-P logo, which by the way is probably the logo of several hundred other companies, off my spring line, people will still buy them."
In response, P plans to file a countersuit against Pepe for tortuous interference against his business, and plans to name several of the company's retailers including Macy's, Dr. Jay's, and Nordstrom."
"I guess they didn't do their homework," he said. "I am also filing a countersuit against Nitin, Arun, and Milan Shah and Pepe Jeans London, LLC for tortuous interference with my business and future business with Wal-Mart. And since they saw fit to go after my retailer, I will return the favor."
P's camp said that they've already had government trademark authorities review the issue, and they concluded that "P. Miller Designs' activities do not constitute trademark infringement." With the news, the expect Pepe Jeans' lawsuit to be thrown out.
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