Greg Bowens, who served as former Mayor Dennis Archer's spokesman, and four other plaintiffs say Dr. Dre is illegally using their likeness to sell a concert DVD. It seems the Detroit five were unknowingly featured in a bonus track on the DVD from the "Up in Smoke" all-star rap tour. They were taped during a pre-concert meeting at Joe Louis Arena, demanding that Dr. Dre not show a sexually explicit and violent video during a July 2000 performance.
Bowens and the others are seeking billions from a page-long list of defendants. In addition to suing Dr. Dre, they are going after AOL Time Warner for distributing the DVD; Amazon.com and other retailers for selling it; and former basketball star Earvin "Magic" Johnson for helping to produce the tour. The Detroit five has hired not only a lawyer but also a P.R. firm. "Millions of dollars were made off this DVD, and our clients feel their images and names were wrongly used," says Shaun Wilson, who describes himself as the plaintiffs'"media arm."
Revenge could have something to do with this. Dr. Dre sued Detroit for hindering his freedom of expression after the officials put the kibosh on his video. The two sides eventually settled out of court. Detroit paid the rapper $25,000 and Archer issued a public apology.
