Genre bending singer Santogold has been forced to change her name to Santigold, because of a lawsuit from an obscure jewelry sales man.
Santogold singer Santi White isn’t talking, but she released a coded message, according to withoutapause.com.
“Change the graffiti on the bathroom wall, get your tattoo fixed, get your T-shirt airbrushed and change the name on your year-end list. Santogold is now Santigold,” the statement read. “She’s not telling you why, that’s just how it is.”
As Santogold, Santi White has worked with Jay-Z, Three Six Mafia, Kanye West and was a darling of music critics because of her self-titled album in 2008. Santo Rigatuso is no fan.
Santo “Santo Gold” Rigatuso sued Santogold for name infringement last year, claiming the singer/song writer was “crushing” his “hopes of continuing his music and acting career.”
The Baltimore native also sought compensation and a name change from White as well as her labels, Downtown Records and Lizard King Records.
Rigatuso made a little-known movie called “Santo Gold’s Blood Circus” in 1985, but the wrestling-themed space only ran for a week locally. Rigatuso now uses clips from the movie to help sell jewelry in his infomericals.
Incidentally, Rigatuso crafted a dis rap song to Santi White.
He raps, “So don’t use my name to create your fame / believe me kid, this is not a game / Because I’m the real Santo Gold / I don’t like my name being ‘stoled.'”
Listen to “I’m The Real Santo Gold.” (story continues after song)
Jill L. Abitbol, a lawyer for Santo Gold, said that the change in is not enough.
“It’s nothing that’s been done in accordance with any agreement with my client,” Abitbol told the L.A. Times. “[White] has been infringing on our client’s name and has decided to change it. Litigation is ongoing.”
Rigatuso is no stranger to litigation. In 1989, the state of Maryland ordered him to pay millions to people who were swindled out of money through a jewelry and credit-card scheme, according to wire reports.