Rapper and noted Yankee fan Jay-Z is suing Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz for opening a nightclub in his native Dominican Republic named “Forty-Forty.”
Jay-Z thinks that’s a sample that’s too close to his line of “sports lounges” which carry the “40/40 Club” name … even if Big Papi is spelling out the digits.
Jay-Z and business partner Juan Perez own 40/40 Clubs in New York City, Atlantic City and Las Vegas and have plans to open venues in Tokyo and Macau.
They have accused Ortiz of “trading on the fame, value and goodwill of their name through his club Forty/Forty and its website, www.fortyforty.net.”
Okay, but would he sue Alex Rodriguez for the same thing? Just asking.
THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK: If you can’t beat ’em, sue ’em! Wait, the Yankees won the World Series last year. Never mind. That’s just adding insult to injury then.
The lawsuit also notes that “David Ortiz is fully aware of plaintiff’s Manhattan 40/40 Club, since he had been a patron there on several occasions.”
Jay-Z named his club “40/40” because in baseball, that refers to a 40-home run, 40-steal season, or “as exclusive as it gets.” Cool name for a club.
An odd choice for Ortiz to rip off, though, as he is one of the slowest land mammals to ever roam this planet, having recorded just 10 thefts career.
Make he just likes the food (clearly his waist line would corroborate that)… or he means 40 injections in 40 days, or some better steroid reference.