Lawsuit against 50 Cent is tossed

A Miami judge has dismissed a copyright infringement lawsuit accusing rapper 50 Cent of stealing the opening line for his 2003 hit “In Da Club” from a song by former 2 Live Crew frontman Luther Campbell.

U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck found that the disputed phrase was a “common, unoriginal, and noncopyrightable element of the song” and was not entitled to copyright protection.

Campbell’s song appeared on his 1994 solo album “Still a Freak for Life.”