Shirley Caesar, best known these days for a 2010 sermon spawning the ubiquitous “U Name It Challenge,” is suing for at least $5 million over what her attorney said is an unauthorized use of her sermon and song.
CBS 46 Atlanta reports that Caesar, a Grammy Award-winning gospel artist and preacher, says that the video in question was posted by Atlanta DJ Suede (born Keenan Webb) in November after the so-called #UNameItChallenge went viral.
The judge in the case decided that the video, which has been viewed almost 4 million times and placed on iTunes, “violates the brand, image and name of a Christian pastor [Caesar],” especially because of its depiction of alcohol.
Late Friday, Caesar and her attorneys filed a contempt order against Webb, Jullian Boothe and Empire Distribution after they failed to take the video down.
The outlet also reports that Judge Glenda Hatchett (yes, that one from TV) alleges the song jeopardized a deal that Caesar, her client, was working on with rapper Snoop Dogg. Proceeds from that deal would reportedly have gone to help the hungry. Snoop’s version is also clean.
“DJ Suede and his management were in conversations with her lawyer. They didn’t reach an agreement and they put it out anyway,” Hatchett said.
Caesar has already capitalized on the viral challenge by opening up a UNameIt online store.
Guess she doesn’t want her brand—or her coins—diluted by some DJ.
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