Kanye West and legendary stuntman Evel Knievel will attempt to settle a multimillion dollar trademark infringement lawsuit the motorcycle daredevil filed against the superstar rapper in 2006.
Knievel’s lawsuit claimed the Chicago rapper tarnished his image in the video for the hit single “Touch The Sky,” in which West was featured as a fictional stuntman named “Evel Kanyevel.”
Lawyers for Knievel claim that the video, which also stars Pamela Anderson Lee, is a reenactment of the daredevils’ failed attempt at jumping the Snake River Canyon in Wyoming in 1974 and tarnished his image by using “vulgar, sexual and racially questionable content.”
West attorney’s originally argued that the video was satire and protected by the First Amendment in the United States.
On Tuesday (July 10) lawyers for Knievel, 68, filed court papers announcing they will enter into mediation over the lawsuit, which also names Roc-A-Fella Records, director Chris Milk and AOL as defendants.
Knievel, born Robert Craig “Evel” Knievel and West will share mediation expenses.