Bruno Mars’ ‘Uptown Funk’ Credits Gap Band To Avoid Lawsuit

Published: Saturday 2nd May 2015 by Rashad
bruno mars gap band -thatgrapejuice

Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ ‘Uptown Funk’ has upped the number of names listed on its songwriting credits, Billboard reports.

The move, prompted by legal claims put in motion by hit 70s/80s R&B group Gap Band, comes as the song continues worldwide domination of charts despite recently ending a 14-week run at #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

Get the details inside:

Via Billboard:

“[the song]…originally had six songwriters. On April 28, it officially picked up another five.

According to documents from RCA Records, which released the song, the original writers — Ronson, Mars, co-producer Jeffrey Bhasker and Phillip Lawrence(one of Mars’ partners in his production team The Smeezingtons), along with Nicholas Williams (aka Trinidad James) and producer Devon Gallaspy, whose “All Gold Everything” has “portions embodied” in the song — have been joined by the five writers of The Gap Band’s 1979 hit “Oops Upside Your Head”: bandmembers (and brothers) Charlie, Robert and Ronnie Wilson along with keyboardist Rudolph Taylor and producer Lonnie Simmons. They were added in the wake of a claim put forth by publisher Minder Music on behalf of the “Oops” songwriters.”

Better safe than sorry.  After the massive payout to the Marvin Gaye family for Robin Thicke & Pharrell Williams’ ‘Blurred Lines’ (an alleged rip off of the Motown singer’s ‘Got To Give It Up‘), the scope was instantly turned to this year’s megahit – ‘Funk’ – for its similar retro elements.  Fans took to the net and uploaded ‘Uptown’ mashups that would incite months of speculation that the song was a ripoff of the Wilson brother’s hit.

We’re glad they’re giving credit where it’s due, even if they don’t believe it.  Better to pay a portion of proceeds moving forward than to let the decision go to court and get to the hands of jurors.

Listen to this mashup below. What do you think?

Your thoughts?

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Comments 17

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  1. #TeamTinashe Stan May 2, 2015

    Good for them. The more safer the better.

  2. Centurion May 2, 2015

    Better safe than sorry. They do sound similar, but so does a lot of music from every decade and Beyonce’s discography.

    • Centurion May 2, 2015

      Speaking of Beyonce, her illiterate ass better be taking notes… she should be talking screenshots… no, she can’t even do that too. She should this to someone. She has been sued in every single era and is arguably the most sued recording artist of all time.

      • Centurion May 2, 2015

        *taking screenshots…

      • BeyRihLiyah May 2, 2015

        shut up! you schizophrenic p*** you should be lock away in a mental institution better yet STONED!

      • Centurion May 2, 2015

        Who are you? Welcome to TGJ. Now don’t go looking for relevance by coming for other commentators. Stay in your lane.

      • pucci May 2, 2015

        You get more and more pathetic on every post. It’s laughable now. You’re a Rihanna fan who even on a post that’s not about Rihanna or Beyoncé, you still manage to bring up Beyoncé. Do us all a favor and worry about Rihanna and her failed singles this era. Support her music instead of secretly supporting someone else and masking it with hate… And furthermore, get therapy.

      • Centurion May 2, 2015

        And who are you? LOL. You’re already dedicating different names under different emails to me. Hilarious!

  3. BeyRihLiyah May 2, 2015

    Im tired of these artist/producers reusing and recycling old songs ! I miss the days when artist/producers created music from scratch nothing was sampled or borrowed everything was fresh, new creative and different these producers/artist are so freakin lazy its a crying shame!

    • pucci May 2, 2015

      Artist from every decade borrow from others. It’s just the way things work.

  4. Centurion May 2, 2015

    Lol. Brand new and already replying itself and stealing comments. Done with these lessors. XD

  5. ~The Arcade~ May 2, 2015

    Love this song, but I must admit when ‘I’ first heard it, I could hear the same trumpet riffs in Micheal Jackson’s “Jam”.

  6. TheElusiveLamb May 2, 2015

    I can’t blame them either.

  7. OMG Logic!!! May 2, 2015

    This headline confuses me. “Bruno Mars’ Uptown Funk..?” You mean Mark Ronson’s Uptown Funk right? Or are White men not allowed to enjoy success within the Funk genre?

  8. You wanna love it right better then my funky money May 2, 2015

    Wow

  9. @FutureCIARA May 2, 2015

    Yes, Gotta think ahead!

  10. Jr May 10, 2015

    It think they need to credit Zapp & Roger’s – “More Bounce to the Ounce”
    The guitar riff used is practically identical.

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