Seattle rapper, Lil Kriz, takes on NBA

Seattle rapper Christian Beeber, aka "Lil Kriz," got his national television debut when the National Basketball Association (NBA) played his song "Vegas" during the 2007 All-Star game in that city. Problem was, no one asked him first.

Beeber sued the NBA, as well as all the broadcast companies that aired his song during the game. The case was settled out of court Wednesday for undisclosed terms.

The song, which Beeber's attorney called in the lawsuit "an ode to the Americana that is Las Vegas," was played under a promotional video at the start of the second quarter.

In the song's 19-second All-Star game spotlight, Beeber's stage name was cut and the music was synchronized with images of Las Vegas — all without his permission.

In February, Beeber sued the NBA, along with all the companies who broadcast the game — ESPN, ABC and TBS — in U.S. District Court in Seattle for copyright infringement.

When reached for comment Wednesday, Beeber said he was surprised to hear from The Seattle Times after submitting multiple CDs to the newspaper for review without a response. But Beeber, as well as his lawyer and the attorneys representing the NBA, refused to comment on the settlement or the case.

By altering "Vegas," the NBA was "passing off" the song as its own or as authorized by Beeber, the rapper and his attorney Kevin Traywick alleged in the lawsuit.

Beeber's song is about visiting well-known sites in Las Vegas, partying and picking up women along the way.

Although the NBA and the broadcasting companies denied any liability, for the sake of settlement they "do not dispute ... that [Beeber] has sufficiently pled a claim for copyright infringement with respect to the musical composition allegedly registered in his name," attorney Daniel Waggoner wrote in his motion to settle. Waggoner works for the Seattle law firm of Davis Wright Tremaine, which also represents The Times.

The defendant's attorneys did, however, dispute that Beeber even held the copyright to the 2004 Lil Kriz album "Painkiller," on which "Vegas" was published, along with such songs as "Do Yo Thang" and "Sitten On Top."

The NBA argued that although Beeber holds a copyright on the album's music and lyrics, the recording itself is copyrighted under the name Slick Wax — the album's Seattle-based label.

Noelene Clark: 206-464-2321 or nclark@seattletimes.com