Marvin Gaye's Son Continues the Family Lawsuit Tradition by Threatening to Sue 'Empire' Creator Lee Daniels

Clearly a fan of lawsuits, Gaye is planning to sue Lee Daniels under the claim that 'Empire' was originally his idea.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Lawsuits are fun, right? Think about it: what could possibly bring someone more joy than enduring the court of public opinion while swimming through oceans upon oceans of meticulous paperwork? For further preachings on the virtues of litigation, look no further than the family of the late legend Marvin Gaye. In what is becoming somewhat of an annual tradition for the family, Marvin's son is reportedly prepping a lawsuit against Empire creator Lee Daniels and Fox for, you guessed it, stealing his idea.

Gaye claims he shopped a similar treatment to multiple studios back in 2010, even reportedly going so far as to register an early script entitled Diamonds & Ballads with the Writers Guild of America. According to TMZ, the family's lawyer released a Frank Semyon-esque statement on the pending legal action: "We understand that three things can't be hidden for long: the Sun, the Moon and the Truth!"

Before we grapple with what exactly the fuck that means, let's not forget the prequel to this lawsuit. Earlier this year, the Gaye estate managed to successfully sue both Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke for their song "Blurred Lines." The suit, aside from being downright discouraging to the creative process, netted the estate a reported $7.3 million. In addition to Gaye's claims, a friend of the Jackson family named Ron Newt sued Daniels and Empire star Terrence Howard for a billion dollars (?) back in April.

 

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