Playing music in a bar or restaurant may seem straightforward, but it comes with legal responsibilities that can lead to costly consequences if ignored. That’s at the heart of a new federal lawsuit involving Swizz Beatz and several music publishers, who claim a North Carolina bar repeatedly played copyrighted songs without securing the required public performance license.
According to the complaint, as reported by WCNC News, ASCAP spent years trying to bring Boatyard Lake Norman into compliance through phone calls, emails, letters, and licensing offers before taking the matter to court. The lawsuit alleges those efforts failed, prompting ASCAP and multiple rights holders to file suit against Hello Bye, LLC and its owner, Christopher S. Boukedes.
The complaint specifically cites several songs that were allegedly played at the venue on November 30, 2024, including DMX’s “Party Up (Up In Here),” House of Pain’s “Jump Around,” Rick James’ “Party All the Time,” and WALK THE MOON’s “Shut Up and Dance.”
The plaintiffs are asking the court to permanently bar Boatyard Lake Norman from publicly performing music represented by ASCAP unless it first obtains the appropriate license. They are also seeking statutory damages of up to $30,000 for each copyrighted song listed in the lawsuit, in addition to attorney’s fees and court costs.
The complaint also claims the alleged copyright violations went beyond the four songs specifically named in the filing, arguing that the unauthorized performances took place on multiple occasions rather than being limited to a single night.
