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Shabba Ranks Fights for Publishing Rights
12 Sep
Summary
- Shabba Ranks is suing Greensleeves Records over publishing rights.
- He seeks to reclaim famous hits like 'Slow and Sexy' and 'Mr. Loverman'.
- The case involves copyright termination law and work-for-hire clauses.
Dancehall icon Shabba Ranks, born Rexton Gordon, has filed a lawsuit against Greensleeves Records' publishing division. The legal battle, initiated on September 11, 2026, seeks to regain control over the publishing rights to his compositions. This includes chart-topping hits such as "Slow and Sexy," "Housecall," "Mr. Loverman," and "Let's Get It On." His catalog also features the influential 1990 track "Dem Bow," which lent its name to reggaetón's foundational rhythm.
The core of the litigation lies in copyright termination, a provision within U.S. copyright law that permits authors to reclaim their intellectual property after a specified period. Shabba Ranks had formally notified Greensleeves in 2023 of his intent to exercise this right.
However, the publisher has resisted, contending that a 1989 publishing agreement stipulated the compositions as "works made for hire." This classification typically exempts them from copyright termination provisions. Shabba Ranks is disputing the validity of this work-for-hire clause in court.
His legal team argues that the compositions do not qualify as works made for hire under the U.S. Copyright Act. They assert that Gordon was never an employee of Greensleeves and that musical compositions, by law, cannot be considered works made for hire solely by agreement with a non-employee author. Ranks seeks a judicial declaration confirming the effectiveness of his copyright termination.
