Cardi B is pushing to shut down a copyright lawsuit in Texas over her track “Enough (Miami),” arguing the plaintiffs never registered their song “Greasy Frybread” and can’t legally sue her in the state.
The Hip-Hop star and her record labels—Atlantic Recording Corp. and Warner Music Group—filed a motion to dismiss the case brought by Texas-based artists Sten Joddi and producer Kemikal956.
Joddi (real name Joshua Frausto) and Kemikal956 (Miguel Aguilar) released “Greasy Frybread” in 2021. The song was featured in the FX television series Reservation Dogs.
The duo claims Cardi B’s 2024 single lifted elements from their composition, specifically the melody and bassline, but not the lyrics.
But according to Cardi B’s legal team, the entire case is legally flawed from the start.
“It is black-letter law that a copyright registration is required to file a federal claim… The lack of a copyright registration therefore dooms these claims too because, as noted above, a registration is required before bringing any ‘civil action for infringement of the copyright in any United States work,'” attorney W. Andrew Pequignot wrote in the motion.
The plaintiffs originally filed a federal copyright claim, but since the work is not registered, that claim can’t move forward. They then attempted to pivot to a common-law copyright argument, which Cardi’s team claims is invalid because federal law supersedes state-level claims in these matters.
The lawsuit also includes claims of defamation, misappropriation, and unfair competition.
However, Cardi B’s attorneys argue those are just different ways of saying the same thing: that she allegedly copied their music. Since all the claims are based on that core accusation, they say the entire case is preempted by federal copyright law.
Beyond that, the Bronx rapper’s team argues that Texas courts shouldn’t be involved. Cardi B lives in New Jersey, and her labels are based in Delaware and New York.
Cardi B’s legal team also criticized the producers for repeatedly changing their claims and failing to present a consistent argument.
They asked the court to dismiss the case entirely and prevent any further amendments.