When I think of the Insane Clown Posse, I imagine them thumbing through collections of poetry, folding over pages when a certain turn of phrase hits them in that unspeakable way that the finest poetry does.
With this in mind, it was not at all surprising to learn that Ohio poet Stanley Gebhardt is currently suing Insane Clown Posse for copyright infringement, claiming the band are taking credit for a poem he wrote.
But You Didn’t was copyrighted in 1993 and features in 1994 collection A 2nd Helping Of Chicken Soup For The Soul. A recording of ICP member Violent J reading the poem appeared online close to a decade ago, titled ‘Violent J’s Poem’, with commentators clearly believing the poem to be an original work by Violent J.
“I looked at you and smiled the other day I thought you’d see me, but you didn’t”, the poem opens. “I said I loved you and waited for what you’d say I thought you’d hear me, but you didn’t.”
Not quite in line with previous ICP work.
“It’s a verbatim rendition of my client’s artistic, copyrighted poetic work,” Gebhardt’s attorney told the Detroit Free Press.
Under copyright laws, Gebhardt may be entitled to up to $150,000 for each willful violation. He is also entitled to profits made off the work, although it seems unlikely that ICP made any money from the video.
Listen to the contentious recording, below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ao9AIUvFSc
