Usher is “Caught Up” in a lawsuit accusing him of heisting one of his biggest hits.
Zacharia Edwards, Mitch Moses and Vince McClean filed suit in Manhattan federal court on Friday alleging Usher and Arista Records ripped them off by using “Caught Up” – a song the men claim they wrote in 2002 – for Usher’s smash 2004 “Confessions” album that sold more than 10 million copies. “Caught Up” peaked at No. 8 on the US charts in 2004.
“The theme, melody, hook, lyrics and chorus of the musical compositions are similar,” the suit says.
The suit claims the plaintiffs, who live in Manhattan, played the song in 2002 for a senior director of Arista Records, which is Usher’s record label. The honcho told them he “liked the song so much” that he wanted to play it for industry titans LA Reid and Mark Pitts, who were then running Arista, the suit says.
The plaintiffs say they never heard back – and didn’t know they were played by until years later when they heard the song on the radio.
Reps for Usher and Arista Records did not return messages. A lawyer for the plaintiffs declined comment.