A lawyer for Afeni Shakur’s Amaru Entertainment have denied allegations in a recent lawsuit that the Makaveli Branded “MB” logo infringes on the “MB” logo by the Marco Bellini Clothing Line.
The Makaveli Branded clothing line was launched by Afeni Shakur in honor of her son, Tupac Shakur, who recorded The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory as Makaveli, shortly before he was gunned down on the Las Vegas strip in September 1996.
Last week Isaiah Israel, owner of the Marco Bellini Clothing Line, filed his second lawsuit against Makaveli Branded claiming that Amaru Entertainment infringing on the rights to his “MB” logo, which he has owned since 2003.
“There is no basis for Mr. Israel’s suit and an appropriate answer has been filed in the action that he has commenced denying all of his baseless allegations,” said Donald N. David, General Counsel for Amaru Entertainment. “In addition, an action has been commenced to cancel Mr. Israel’s mark in that he has failed in use such mark in interstate commerce as required.”
According to Davis, Amaru Entertainment received the Trademark Office’s approval to use their “MB” logo in 2004.
“While it is obvious that anyone can commence an action under our legal system,” said David. “Amaru fully expects that it will not only prevail in this action, but that it will seek and be awarded attorneys’ fees and that Mr. Israel’s mark will be cancelled.”