The surviving members of seminal New York hip-hop group Beastie Boys have written an open letter to US toy manufacturer GoldieBlox, setting the record straight on a copyright dispute between the two parties, with the Beasties saying that it is the toy company who is suing them.
“Like many of the millions of people who have seen your toy commercial ‘GoldieBlox, Rube Goldberg & the Beastie Boys,’ we were very impressed by the creativity and the message behind your ad,” begin the Beasties.
“We strongly support empowering young girls, breaking down gender stereotypes and igniting a passion for technology and engineering,” they add. “As creative as it is, make no mistake, your video is an advertisement that is designed to sell a product.”
“Long ago,” they continue, “we made a conscious decision not to permit our music and/or name to be used in product ads. When we tried to simply ask how and why our song “Girls” had been used in your ad without our permission, YOU sued US.”
Initial reports indicated that the Beasties’ legal team threatened to sue GoldieBlox over their use of a parody of the Beasties cut Girls, from their 1986 album Licensed to Ill, subsequently being levelled with a preemptive lawsuit claiming the band’s attorneys threatened to sue for copyright infringement.
Taking to Twitter, Beasties member Ad-Rock posted a link to a SPIN Magazine article about the dispute and urged followers to not “get it twisted,” saying, “You guys..Don’t get it twisted. We did not threaten to sue Goldiblox..THEY’RE SUING US.”
Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke expressed solidarity, tweeting, “I support the beasties here> I would be v upset too.!…” Readers can check out the ad and the original song, as well as Beastie Boys’ full statement, below.
Watch: GoldieBlox “Princess Machine” Commercial
http://youtu.be/UFpe3Up9T_g
Listen: Beastie Boys – Girls
Beastie Boys Letter To GoldieBlox
Like many of the millions of people who have seen your toy commercial “GoldieBlox, Rube Goldberg & the Beastie Boys,” we were very impressed by the creativity and the message behind your ad.
We strongly support empowering young girls, breaking down gender stereotypes and igniting a passion for technology and engineering.
As creative as it is, make no mistake, your video is an advertisement that is designed to sell a product, and long ago, we made a conscious decision not to permit our music and/or name to be used in product ads.
When we tried to simply ask how and why our song “Girls” had been used in your ad without our permission, YOU sued US.
(Via Billboard)
You guys..Don't get it twisted. We did not threaten to sue Goldiblox..THEY'RE SUING US. http://t.co/xCxnuJxjI5
— ADROCK (@adrock) November 25, 2013
I support the beasties here> I would be v upset too.!…OPEN LETTER FROM BEASTIE BOYS' MIKE D & ADROCK TO GOLDIEBLOX http://t.co/gCyd8WKqIs”
— Thom Yorke (@thomyorke) November 25, 2013
