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Eminem is fighting a civil lawsuit over the Shady

Ltd. name that is featured on his new clothing line.

Shady Inc., a small Nevada based company, filed

the lawsuit in Nevada federal court, claiming that they have been using the

name since for their clothing since late 1999.

Shady Inc. did not register the trademark until

2001.

Shady Inc. targets the sports apparel market,

selling T-Shirts and hats in Nevada stores and through the Internet and mail

order.

Eminem’s lawyers contend that the Shady name

is associated with Eminem so frequently, that it should have never been granted

to the Nevada company in the first place.

"We were first and we used it in good faith,"

co-owner Thomas Hession told the Detroit Free Press. "We did not know at

the time that Eminem was planning clothes."

Eminem’s lawyer, Manny Pokotilow, said that Eminem

has been using the name since 1999 on record and that the rapper registered

the Slim Shady trademark in 1999.

"We consider this a very frivolous claim

that has been made," Pokotilow said. "It is what I would call a hit

suit, which is in order to take advantage of somebody’s celebrity status."

Eminem’s clothing is currently available in over

400 stores nationwide.

In related news, the rapper is expected to draw

over 90,000 people to his shows today (July 12) and Sunday at Detroit’s Ford

Field.

The show will also feature 50 Cent and Missy

Elliot.