New Zealand political party infringed Eminem copyright, must pay $412k

Rapper Eminem performs in 2013 at the Stade de France near Paris. (credit: PIERRE ANDRIEU/AFP/Getty Images)

A company that owns some of rapper Eminem's early work has won a copyright case against an unusual defendant: a New Zealand political party.

New Zealand's National Party has been ordered to pay NZ$600,000, plus interest, for using music from Eminem's song "Lose Yourself" in a 2014 election ad. That's around US$412,000 that must be paid to the plaintiff in the case, Eight Mile Style, a music publisher that owns some of Eminem's early catalog.

Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, spoke about the case yesterday through a representative. In a statement to Variety, Eminem's rep said that the rapper did not initiate the lawsuit and was not consulted about it. Any money Eminem receives will be donated to hurricane relief efforts, and he urged Eight Mile Style to do the same.

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