Bossman Dlow is facing serious legal challenges as he has been sued for copyright infringement in federal court in Los Angeles. The lawsuit, filed by Louisiana music executive Ivory “Mobo Joe” Paynes, alleges that Dlow stole elements from the 1990s song “Street of Westbank” by the New Orleans rap group Dog House Posse to create his hit record “The Biggest.”
Paynes claims that both Dlow and producer Gentle Beatz, along with Alamo Records, Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Music Publishing, and Too Slippery Entertainment, released and profited from the unauthorized use of samples from his catalog without obtaining permission. He argues that the melody, instrumentation, arrangement, and orchestration of “The Biggest” closely mirror key components of “Street of Westbank.”
According to the lawsuit, “The Biggest” was featured on Dlow’s album Too Slippery, which was released on January 1, 2023, and is available on all major streaming platforms. Paynes asserts that he retains the rights to the early 1990s recording through his label, Mobo Joe Records, following an agreement that assigned full ownership of the Dog House Posse’s compositions and masters to him.
The complaint details that the opening piano, cello, and bass lines in “The Biggest” are identical to those found at the beginning of “Street of Westbank,” and these elements recur throughout Dlow’s track, constituting an unauthorized derivative work. Paynes is seeking damages, profits, attorney fees, and an injunction to halt the continued distribution of “The Biggest,” as it remains active on streaming services.
This is not the first time Paynes has pursued legal action over copyright issues. Last year, he filed similar claims against GloRilla, alleging that she used elements from the same Dog House Posse catalog without authorization. Although GloRilla won on a technicality, the ruling allows Paynes to revisit the matter if he chooses.
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