Rapper Is Being Sued By Iron Maiden
via Iron Maiden / Youtube
The renowned heavy metal band Iron Maiden and up-and-coming rapper OsamaSon are embroiled in a court dispute that appears to be a battle of musical styles. The claimed theft of an iconic Iron Maiden artwork featuring their well-known mascot, Eddie, for OsamaSon’s album cover is the central issue of contention.
Legal Controversy Over Album Artistry
According to a recent report, the art used for the cover of the deluxe edition of the rapper’s latest album, “Flex Musix (FLXTRA),” is strikingly similar to the artwork associated with Iron Maiden’s 1984 album “Powerslave.” The British metal icons are supposedly taking legal measures to address this situation. “Iron Maiden is suing me so… ……cover is gone,” stated the rapper on his Instagram story, which has now expired. In the same post, the rapper tagged Iron Maiden’s handle, hinting at the acknowledgment of the brewing legal issue.
The artwork in question from Iron Maiden hails from the band’s “World Slavery” tour and features the infamous Eddie depicted as a mummified figure. A creation of artist Derek Riggs, Eddie is portrayed from the chest up, entangled in chains, and struck by lightning bolts. In contrast, OsamaSon’s album artwork showcases a re-coloration, with Eddie cast in darker tones of grey, surrounded by pink shades fading into deeper colors at the top and left side. Despite these differences, the overall theme and imagery bare significant resemblance to Iron Maiden’s original creative work.
This legal challenge comes at a time when OsamaSon has been gaining traction as an artist. Having recently signed to Atlantic Records, his trajectory in the rap scene has been on an uptrend. The release of his self-titled album “Osama Season” in July 2023 marked his debut, which was followed by “Flex Musix,” his inaugural major label offering in December. As he embarks on his first headlining tour, his presence on platforms like Spotify has become significant, with nearly half a million monthly listeners. His track “X & Sex” emerged as the most played, amassing over seven million streams.
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Rap’s Embrace of Metal Aesthetics and the Ensuing Copyright Battle
OsamaSon, whose birth year is reported as either 2003 or 2005, has woven a web of aesthetics that bridges his rap persona with elements of metal culture. This crossover is evident in his music video for “X & Sex,” where he dons a T-shirt by Facelift Deformation, a brutal death metal band with roots in Hong Kong and Taiwan. The stylistic choices extend to his logo, which echoes the visual themes commonplace in the extreme metal subgenre.
The contention over copyrighted artwork places Iron Maiden in a familiar position, as they zealously guard their intellectual property – including the portrayal of their beloved mascot Eddie. This latest incident is a stark reminder to artists across all mediums of the importance of creative ownership and the potentially dire consequences of infringing on such rights.
While the rapper contends with this legal battle, Iron Maiden keeps expanding their profile in the rock music industry. With dates set for September in Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, their planned “The Future Past Tour” is attracting interest. After that, the band will begin the tour’s North American leg in October with The Hu serving as their opening act.
