Cape Town - A song writer has been awarded $44m (R632m) in lawsuit over Usher’s hit song Bad Girl, Essence reports.
According to Rolling Stone, Philadelphia songwriter Daniel Marino, was awarded the money following a lengthy court battle over the 2004 track.
According to Daniel, who claims the song was originally named Club Girl, he created a majority of the song, including the “guitar hook, tempo and chord progression.”
A jury at the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas agreed with him and ordered Marino’s former co-writer William Guice to pay him $6.75m (R96.97m) in compensation, along with $20.25m (R290.90m) in punitive damages.
Destro Music Productions, which is owned by co-defendant Dante Barton, must also pay Marino $17.35m (R 249.24m), which brings the lawsuit’s total to $44.35m (R637.11m).
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Daniel also now owns a third of the song’s ownership rights.
The song Bad Girl appeared on Usher’s 2004 album Confessions, but Daniel was not credited for his work on the song.
Usher was not named in the lawsuit that was first started in 2011.
In a statement to the inquirer, Daniel’s lawyer, Francis Malofiy, said, “For seven years, against all odds, we believed in our client and his claims. The $44.35m verdict and judgment finally vindicates Mr. Marino.”
