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Robin Thicke Sues Marvin Gaye's Family

The singer files a lawsuit over his summer smash 'Blurred Lines'...

Robin Thicke has reportedly taken legal action against late soul singer Marvin Gaye's family and a company that owns some of funk band Pharrell Williams and T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr.

The suit was lodged against Gaye's estate and Bridgeport Music over claims that Blurred Lines bears similarities to Gaye's 1977 hit Got to Give It Up and the Funkadelic track Sexy Ways.

The Hollywood Reporter obtained a copy of the lawsuit, which reads: "Plaintiffs, who have the utmost respect for and admiration of Marvin Gaye, Funkadelic and their musical legacies, reluctantly file this action in the face of multiple adverse claims from alleged successors in interest to those artists.

"Defendants continue to insist that plaintiffs' massively successful composition, 'Blurred Lines,' copies 'their' compositions."

It is claimed that Gaye's family said the trio's hit single and Got to Give It Up "feel" or "sound" the same, but the lawsuit argues that "Gaye defendants are claiming ownership of an entire genre, as opposed to a specific work."

The lawsuit adds that: "There are no similarities between plaintiffs' composition and those the claimants allege they own, other than commonplace musical elements … Plaintiffs created a hit and did it without copying anyone else's composition."

It was reported that the Gaye family and Bridgeport Music were threatening litigation if the Blurred Lines hit makers refused to pay a monetary settlement.

Instead of waiting for a lawsuit such as this to proceed, Robin Thicke, Pharrell and T.I. are going to court to determine their respective rights and obligations.

Earlier this week, we told you [uuid=b2399b4c-2e2b-4f6e-932b-5591b3812b83]Robin Thicke will be performing Blurred Lines at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards[/uuid], which will air on MTV UK from 8pm on Monday August 26.

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