The rapper’s 2020 album was in the center of a lawsuit between High Off Life, LLC and Future’s FreeBandz Productions and the music publishing giant.
Future’s eighth studio album, High Off Life, is officially free, but not in the way most would expect. Sony Music Entertainment along with Future’s own label, FreeBandz Productions settled a lawsuit with High Off Life, LLC (HOL), a smaller company that sells merchandise and also has hip-hop roots.
High Off Life alleged that Sony and Future “destroyed” 10 years’ worth of work that HOF had put in by naming Future’s album High Off Life according to a court filing. The case had been going on for two years, dating back to 2020. According to Billboard, Sony argued that album names are protected by the First Amendment but a federal judge did not dismiss the case last year.
Terms of the settlement were not revealed.
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Had Future and Sony kept the original title of his eighth album as Life is Good, the pair would likely not have run into the issue with HOL. The reasoning behind the name change remains a mystery, though Future told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe that being around his family gave him the high. Meanwhile, HOL had other theories. With the album releasing in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic HOL felt “the title was changed to “High Off Life” at the last minute due to concern about coronavirus-related negative press.”
HOL also said its found Zach Richards and other people within the company have been producing and selling High Off Life branded apparel since 2009. But with Future’s Freebandz label selling apparel and merchandise off the same name and similar designs, it has caused “significant reverse confusion.”
With the two sides settling the case on Jan. 3, Sony, Future, and Freebandz Productions have voided themselves of a problem that has trailed them since the release of Future’s eighth album.
With the case behind them, Future will likely transition to focusing on his upcoming Future and Friends; One Big Party Tour, which is set to begin later this year. The Atlanta rapper is also nominated for six Grammy Awards in the February show.
