The Godfather of Soul is looking for a big payback over a use of his image that doesn’t have him feeling too good.
Singer James Brown filed a lawsuit Wednesday in Cook County Circuit Court alleging a telephone company committed fraud and violated his rights by using his face and voice to sell telephone calling cards.
The suit alleges ACMI Pop Division and Conquest Long Distance were not authorized to use an image of Brown that was created by Jesus Muhammad-Ali, an artist licensed with Brown.
A copy of the calling card included with the suit shows Brown’s face with the words “Vision of Stardom” above his head and “I Feel Good!” across his chest.
ACMI was a Memphis company known for its calling cards depicting celebrities. The company was bought in 1996 by ConQuest, which eventually became part of AT&T. The suit seeks damages in excess of $150,000.
