Jay Z and Timbaland Show Up at “Big Pimpin'” Trial

Eight years after the initial lawsuit over the "Big Pimpin'" sample, court proceedings opened Tuesday morning and Jay Z and TImbaland were in attendance. Hov and Timbo are being sued by the heirs of Egyptian composer Baligh Hamdi for violating the rights to the composer's song "Khosara Khosara," a song they used to sample the 1999 hit "Big Pimpin'."

Pete Ross, the attorney for the Hamdi estate, argued in court that Jay Z and Timbaland used the "Khosara Khosara" for "Big Pimpin'" without proper permission. According to the Associated Press, Ross accused both hip-hop superstars of violating Hamdi's "Moral rights," a legal concept that is allegedly well-established in Egypt. The "moral rights" would have required Timbaland and Jay Z to get permission to use elements from a song that features sexually-charged lyrics. Ross called on an expert on Egyptian music to testify about Hamdi's life and influence.

The Associated Press also reports that lawyers for Timbaland and Jay Z denied that "moral rights" were at issue in the case and said that Hamdi's heirs had been paid repeatedly for the use of "Khosara Khosara." Lawyers also say that Hamdi's work was simple and not copyrightable.

In August, news leaked that Jay Z and Timbaland would testify in court. The trial resumes Wednesday, Oct. 14. Stay tuned for more updates.