Bad Bunny was back in a Los Angeles federal courtroom on Friday, as his lawyers urged a judge to rethink a ruling that leaves copyright claims involving nearly 2,000 reggaeton tracks by more than 150 artists, including Drake and Karol G, potentially heading towards a major trial over a Jamaican rhythm first recorded in 1989.
US District Judge André Birotte Jr. ruled on 1 July that a jury must decide key questions over the originality and copyright protection claimed for musical elements associated with Fish Market, a track by Jamaican duo Steely & Clevie. The producers and their representatives claim Fish Market is the original source of reggaeton's dembow rhythm, the percussive backbone that underpins much of the genre and helped propel artists like Bad Bunny from local radio to global stadium tours.
