The 52-year-old Detroit rapper has initiated legal action through his production company Eight Mile Style, filing suit in Michigan on May 30 and demanding damages exceeding $109 million.
Court documents reveal that the artist, born Marshall Mathers, accuses the social media conglomerate of copyright infringement involving 243 musical compositions through unauthorized storage, reproduction, and commercial exploitation across their platforms.
The legal complaint targets the technology corporation’s platform features, specifically Original Audio and Reels, which the rapper claims function as tools that facilitate and promote unauthorized use of his musical catalog in user-generated video content without proper licensing or attribution.
The lawsuit characterizes the alleged violations as both widespread and deliberate, claiming the company actively encouraged billions of users across their online services to engage in unlicensed use of copyrighted material.
Legal documents assert that the social media giant cannot claim protection under Digital Millennium Copyright Act safe harbor provisions due to their alleged knowing participation in copyright violations.
The musician seeks maximum statutory penalties of $150,000 per infringed composition across the company’s three platforms, calculating total requested damages at $109,350,000.
Eight Mile Style has demanded jury proceedings while pursuing actual damages, lost revenue, and permanent court orders prohibiting future unlicensed use of the rapper’s musical works.
This legal action represents another chapter in the artist’s history with copyright litigation, including a previous $10 million lawsuit threat from his late mother, Debbie Nelson, stemming from controversial lyrics in a 1999 release.
The rapper had previously discussed his difficult childhood relationship with his mother in public interviews before that song’s release, which contained allegations about her personal habits that prompted her legal response.
The 1999 track from The Slim Shady LP included claims about his mother’s substance use, leading to her defamation lawsuit against her son.
Nelson ultimately received a $25,000 settlement in 2001, though legal expenses consumed most of the award, leaving her with approximately $1,600 after attorney fees.