Rolls-Royce sues Royce Rizzy in trademark suit

Luxury car maker Rolls-Royce has sued US rapper Royce Rizzy, claiming he has infringed its trademark by selling merchandise with the slogan ‘Team Rolls Royce’.

The UK-based car manufacturer has alleged that Rizzy promotes and sells t-shirts bearing the phrase on his official website and that it has sent him two cease-and-desist letters to no avail.

In its complaint, filed at the US District Court for the District of New Jersey on Wednesday (January 21), Rolls-Royce said it wants Rizzy to change his name, destroy all products that include the name ‘Team Rolls Royce’, and pay profits he has allegedly made by using the ‘Rolls-Royce’ trademark.

Royce Rizzy, real name Robert Davis, who dropped the ‘Rolls’ from his name more than a year ago, claimed he no longer sells the t-shirts in question.

But, in the complaint, Rolls-Royce said he had posted a photograph of himself on social media wearing a t-shirt and cap bearing the trademark in the days after receiving the cease-and-desist letters.

According to entertainment website TMZ, Jermaine Dupri, head of So So Def Recordings, which Rizzy is signed up to, said he personally made sure the name change [dropping of ‘Rolls’] happened before putting Rizzy out as an artist.

Late last week, Rizzy took to social network site Twitter to address the situation.

“I must be doing something right billion dollar company is suing me ... if anything they should be embracing me,” he wrote.