In November, LL Cool J filed a lawsuit against the promoters behind the hip-hop music festival Rock the Bells—which bears the same name as LL’s 1985 hit single from his LP Radio. Now, LL has won the lawsuit, Billboard reports and legal documents viewed by Pitchfork confirm.
The initial suit alleged that in 2004, concert promoter Guerilla Union and its founder Chang Weisberg filed to trademark the title “Rock the Bells,” which they used for its web domain and social media channels in addition to the festival itself. LL later appealed to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board in an attempt to to cancel Guerilla Union’s Rock the Bells trademarks.
Now, a California federal judge has ruled that Guerrilla Union must stop using the title “Rock the Bells” without the rapper’s permission. Guerrilla Union must permanently refrain from “manufacturing, transporting, promoting, importing, advertising, publicizing, distributing, offering for sale, or selling any goods or services” under the “Rock the Bells” name, naming LL Cool J the “exclusive owner” of that trademark. According to the judgment, Guerrilla Union must turn over all items bearing LL’s “Rock the Bells” trademark by May 10, so that they may be destroyed.
LL will also gain account administration over the rockthebells.net website, “Rock the Bells” social media handles, and any email accounts associated with the name.
