Swizz Beatz Sues North Carolina Nightclub Over Unpaid DMX Royalties

Hip-hop producer Swizz Beatz and several music publishers have initiated legal action against a North Carolina entertainment venue in federal court. The lawsuit alleges that the establishment publicly performed copyrighted songs—most notably the late DMX’s iconic hit “Party Up (Up in Here)”—without securing the mandatory licenses required under federal copyright law.

The complaint, filed this Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, specifically targets BoatYard Lake Norman and its owner, Chris Boukedes. According to the filing, the venue has repeatedly played protected musical works despite years of outreach and formal licensing offers from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).

At the heart of the dispute is the chart-topping DMX single “Party Up (Up in Here),” which was co-written by Swizz Beatz. The lawsuit contends that the venue’s unauthorized public performances of this track and other copyrighted compositions have directly deprived songwriters, composers, and music publishers of their rightful performance royalties.

The complaint details that ASCAP representatives made extensive efforts to secure compliance through various channels, including telephone calls, emails, and mailed correspondence. Despite these persistent attempts, the organization claims the defendants refused all licensing offers while continuing to feature ASCAP-repertory music in their venue.

Legal Action Against Unauthorized Music Use

The legal action extends beyond the DMX hit, encompassing claims involving other popular tracks such as “Jump Around,” “Party All the Time,” and “Shut Up and Dance.” Several prominent publishing companies have joined the suit as plaintiffs, with Universal Music Corp. identified as one of the entities asserting rights connected to the DMX catalog.

The plaintiffs are seeking up to $30,000 in statutory damages per infringement, alongside requests for injunctive relief and other remedies provided under the Copyright Act. This case is part of a broader wave of copyright enforcement actions filed nationwide by ASCAP-affiliated creators this week.

ASCAP Executive Vice President of Licensing, Stephanie Ruyle, addressed the broader implications of these lawsuits in a statement: “Each of the establishments sued today has chosen to infringe upon the hard work of songwriters instead of licensing the music they play, despite repeated notifications and opportunities to do so.”