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Rapper 2 Milly accuses Fortnite of stealing his dance moves.

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rapper...of-stealing-his-dance-moves-milly-rock-emote/

Rapper 2 Milly may not be a household name, but many know his signature move. The "Milly Rock" has become somewhat of a viral dance craze, getting picked up by other recording artists, sports stars, and now the hugely popular video game Fortnite.

"Everybody was just like, 'Yo, your dance is in the game,'" 2 Milly told CBS News correspondent Vladimir Duthiers.

The Milly Rock, renamed "Swipe It" in the video game, is one of more than 100 dances called emotes Fortnite players can buy for roughly $5. That's where 2 Milly takes issue.

"They actually sell that particular move. It's for purchase," 2 Milly said. "That's when I really was like ... oh nah, this can't go on too long."

Epic Games declined to comment on our story. You can no longer buy the Swipe It emote on Fortnite. It was one of the dances players could "unlock" in the game's fifth season. But if you own it, you can continue to use it – for now.
 

Grinchy

Banned
Can you copyright a dance move? The whole argument sounds ridiculous to me. "I gyrated my body in that stupid way first, so you owe me money." This isn't the first time I've seen complaints about Fortnite making money off of dances that other "artists" created.
 
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Can you copyright a dance move? The whole argument sounds ridiculous to me. "I gyrated my body in that stupid way first, so you owe me money." This isn't the first time I've seen complaints about Fortnite making money off of dances that other "artists" created.

On one hand, I understand the frustration, but on on the other hand it seems just too subjective who did what first and how different something needs to be before it's too much of a copy.

Maybe Lionel Hutz can take up the case. No? Well, at least something 2 Milly created is making people happy.

 
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Cunth

Fingerlickin' Good!
Trying to own a dance move is about as lame as saying 'I was into that band before they were popular'
 

HeresJohnny

Member
Jesus, this is so stupid. "They stole my dance move," said the unknown rapper that no one has ever heard of and whose career will probably be helped by it.

EDIT: I can't think of anything worse than a whiny rapper.
 
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Three

Member


They have copied dance moves from everywhere. You can't own a dance move. Though that may change in future.
 

mckmas8808

Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
Jesus, this is so stupid. "They stole my dance move," said the unknown rapper that no one has ever heard of and whose career will probably be helped by it.

EDIT: I can't think of anything worse than a whiny rapper.

The dance is called the "Milly Rock". The rapper's name is "2 Milly". The hip-hop community knows he created the dance. He's been doing it for like 4 years. Stop acting like this guy doesn't at least have a reason to be upset.
 

Helios

Member
Can you copyright a dance move? The whole argument sounds ridiculous to me. "I gyrated my body in that stupid way first, so you owe me money." This isn't the first time I've seen complaints about Fortnite making money off of dances that other "artists" created.
You can copyright choreography but I'm not sure if it applies to this.
 

jadedm17

Member
The dance is called the "Milly Rock". The rapper's name is "2 Milly". The hip-hop community knows he created the dance. He's been doing it for like 4 years. Stop acting like this guy doesn't at least have a reason to be upset.

Sure... sure... but this isn't Thriller either, let's not act like this guy is a genius for making this dance or owed massive compensation by Epic.

He has a point but the whole thing is a bit silly.
 

Dunki

Member
The dance is called the "Milly Rock". The rapper's name is "2 Milly". The hip-hop community knows he created the dance. He's been doing it for like 4 years. Stop acting like this guy doesn't at least have a reason to be upset.
There is a long thread on era about this and someone posted a video of him saying that he got it from someone else. And the only reason why he is upset is that he can not make money you of it.

Sorry bu you can not copyright moves. It is very simple. Just because some "Gangster" hip hop guy does no understand the law makes it an actual case.
 

mckmas8808

Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
There is a long thread on era about this and someone posted a video of him saying that he got it from someone else. And the only reason why he is upset is that he can not make money you of it.

Sorry bu you can not copyright moves. It is very simple. Just because some "Gangster" hip hop guy does no understand the law makes it an actual case.

I agree that you can't copyright a dance per say. But some people need to stop acting as if how he feels is stupid. It is a "reasonable" way to feel. I don't think he deserves to get paid by Epic, but I understand his point. I personally think Epic should give him like $5,000 just for saying "thanks".
 

Dunki

Member
I agree that you can't copyright a dance per say. But some people need to stop acting as if how he feels is stupid. It is a "reasonable" way to feel. I don't think he deserves to get paid by Epic, but I understand his point. I personally think Epic should give him like $5,000 just for saying "thanks".
But why shuld they? They can credit him at most but otherwise. The know exactly what they can and can not do unlike 2 Milly.
 

Dunki

Member
Just for good PR. It wouldn't be for legal reasons.
Good . PR for what? And if they do it with one don't you think everyone else will come for them? If they pay one the will have to pay everyone else and some might not even be ok with a small sum etc.
 
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mckmas8808

Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
Good . PR for what? And if they do it with one don't you think everyone else will come for them? If they pay one the will have to pay everyone else and some might not even be ok with a small sum etc.

It does look slightly terrible that a company can just take what someone makes popular without the need to compensate them at all. Just in general, not speaking "legally". It they did pay him, they'd make him sign a NDA of course.
 

Dunki

Member
It does look slightly terrible that a company can just take what someone makes popular without the need to compensate them at all. Just in general, not speaking "legally". It they did pay him, they'd make him sign a NDA of course.
Which means your PR would be not existent. Really there is no way that they will compensate him and others not. If they react or have to react they would rather remove this dance from their game.

Just look how gacha games are not being released in Begium anymore.
 

Darius87

Member
In this case devs should pay him for every dance move of his they sold and compensation for illegal use of his move.
vader+dancing.gif
 
The dance is called the "Milly Rock". The rapper's name is "2 Milly". The hip-hop community knows he created the dance. He's been doing it for like 4 years. Stop acting like this guy doesn't at least have a reason to be upset.
Still, its absurd to be able to copyright body movements
 

manfestival

Member
This is such an old thing. Surprised it is coming around now. I watched a video a few months ago about this whole ordeal. Maybe he is finally being MORE vocal than he was before. However, the lawyers put a good argument for it.

Is is definitely absurd to try to copyright body movements. Especially when you consider the actual medium of dance and how awful that would be.
 

mckmas8808

Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
This is such an old thing. Surprised it is coming around now. I watched a video a few months ago about this whole ordeal. Maybe he is finally being MORE vocal than he was before. However, the lawyers put a good argument for it.

Is is definitely absurd to try to copyright body movements. Especially when you consider the actual medium of dance and how awful that would be.

Copyrighting dances would be awful though. I agree.
 

Hexa

Member
In the US you can copyright dances, but it has to be a full dance, a series of varied movements. Not just a single move.
 

RoboFu

One of the green rats
whats funny is most of these dances are popular because of fornite not the other way around.
 

Caayn

Member
Imagine how rich the person who "invented" the high-five would've been.
 
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legally, good luck... especially when dance moves typically trend purely based on the fact they're replicated by other ppl -- often these days with monetization (meaning, thousands of youtube videos do what epic has done on a smaller scale).

ethically, they're dance moves. i mean, only reason ppl care now is the money. it wasn't an issue when they're were trending and making monetized social media folks money because the #s were smaller, but only the #s change.

that said, legally I do think they should be a way for the music industry to better monetize and protect their creative creations. i'm quite fond of BlocBoy JB so it does kinda suck to see one company make money of his creative creation.

but you open up that can of words and you may shoot yourself in the foot -- if epic can't replicate the movies in a game then maybe no one will dare to. the entire reason the dance moves trended in the first place is that 'replication without financial credit.' and, let's be fair, JB may not directly benefit from the shoot being popular in Fortnite, but he does indirectly -- because it raises his profile and his platforms that are monetized.

if you look at google search trends or youtube views trends, blobboyjb and shoot dance basically doubled after fortnite added the emote. his views on youtube decreased but that could arguably be because the music itself was dying down, and the 'trend' moved from his videos to other videos -- but without the shoot added to fortnite, his views could of crashed far faster -- which could be likely if you look at, say, another notable Drake fts. this year like the one with Trouble.

i get it since his channel views are, say, down from 70m a month to 15m, during the same period a corporation is selling the move you popularized. flip side tho, they could have reached 5m views within couple months rather than taking half a year. which ain't bad when socialbade estimates, say, for a $2CPM, you're getting USD$30K a month yet. you're still making $500-750 a day even after views crashing 7 fold, and you gotta attribute a lot of that to the popularization of the shoot dance -- not a leap considering there's not much variance between blocboy jb and shoot dance trendlines -- and fortnite's part in that.

you could argue that were notable financial payments required for some dance moves, Epic would just opt for free ones. if I was blocboy jb last October before it trended, or in the summer when my views starts crashing, i'd need epic more than epic needs my dance move.

it'd be a nice gesture for epic to give some credit, even if only indirect, to help bolster his other revenue sources. but it's a biting the hand the feeds you sort of thing, when there's a good argument you're already benefited dramatically because of the 'free' advertisement -- the free goes both ways.
 

Darius87

Member
So? body movements should still not be able to get copyrighted. Monetize it any way you want.
So what's the point of creating his signature move or anything in that case? people should just stop doing it, if someone could just copy and say i made it, i personally don't mind using it(with permission), but making money of something that you just mimic from others is theft, devs could be creative and just redone it in their own way to not make it look identical to his, but lazy asses don't think that way.
 
So what's the point of creating his signature move or anything in that case? people should just stop doing it, if someone could just copy and say i made it, i personally don't mind using it(with permission), but making money of something that you just mimic from others is theft, devs could be creative and just redone it in their own way to not make it look identical to his, but lazy asses don't think that way.
He stole it from me.
 

Blam

Member
You can copyright choreography but I'm not sure if it applies to this.
Yeah this does count. That is why soujaboys dances haven't been put into fortnite he owns all of them.

Since the entire choreography is that one move it still legally falls under the same laws.
 
So what's the point of creating his signature move or anything in that case? people should just stop doing it, if someone could just copy and say i made it, i personally don't mind using it(with permission), but making money of something that you just mimic from others is theft, devs could be creative and just redone it in their own way to not make it look identical to his, but lazy asses don't think that way.
So you really saying body movements should be able to get copyrighted?

Body movement is not someone’s property, therefore its impossible for a theft to occur.

Good god.
 

noqtic

Member
It is kind of sickening that they are making money off of something that somebody else came up with without that person's blessings, but that's capitalism for you.

A lot of younger Fortnite players believe that Epic are the original creaters of a lot of the emotes.
 

jadedm17

Member
It is kind of sickening that they are making money off of something that somebody else came up with without that person's blessings, but that's capitalism for you.

A lot of younger Fortnite players believe that Epic are the original creaters of a lot of the emotes.

Line 1 : Sick? As stated its a body movement, so fair game. In this case it feels like it'll lead to far more exposure : Who here or IRL have heard of Fortnite? Care to re-poll and replace "Fortnite" with "Rapper 2 Milly"?
Edit : In NY there was a tattoo shop downtown using the Star Wars font and characters; Later in FL I discovered a collision shop with the Superman 'S" logo, and the flea market is full of bootleg garbage : It's not just big corporations, your neighbors and friends are taking what $$$ they can off others hard work and brands.

Line 2 : Thats just ignorance. Youth are ignorant. It happens, you can't yell at Epic that young people aren't the brightest.
 
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noqtic

Member
Line 1 : Sick? As stated its a body movement, so fair game. In this case it feels like it'll lead to far more exposure : Who here or IRL have heard of Fortnite? Care to re-poll and replace "Fortnite" with "Rapper 2 Milly"?
Edit : In NY there was a tattoo shop downtown using the Star Wars font and characters; Later in FL I discovered a collision shop with the Superman 'S" logo, and the flea market is full of bootleg garbage : It's not just big corporations, your neighbors and friends are taking what $$$ they can off others hard work and brands.

Line 2 : Thats just ignorance. Youth are ignorant. It happens, you can't yell at Epic that young people aren't the brightest.


Yes sickening, I know it's just a body movement and phrases are just words. Somebody still put some thought into those body movements and there is a song to support this specific body movement.

Highlighted: That is the problem. 2 Milly is not the one getting extra exposure or money from this, sure his dance is getting more popular but it only generates money for Epic.


Highlighted 2: Just because others do something that doesn't make it right. Not sure why you were trying to use that as justification.
 

Kerotan

Member
The dance is called the "Milly Rock". The rapper's name is "2 Milly". The hip-hop community knows he created the dance. He's been doing it for like 4 years. Stop acting like this guy doesn't at least have a reason to be upset.


He's about as much reason to be upset as the unknown dude where he originally got the dance from. This ludicrous. You can't copyright a dance. Nothing to see here.
 

Pallas

Member
You can copyright choreography in the US afaik. I’ve been wondering when Fortnite would run into legal trouble with some of the signature dance moves. The fact that they took it down says they were potentially already served with an injunction to cease and desist.
 

Zewp

Member
Not sure who to root for here. I hate bottom feeding rappers almost as much as I hate Fortnite.

Hmmm.
 

Darius87

Member
So you really saying body movements should be able to get copyrighted?

Body movement is not someone’s property, therefore its impossible for a theft to occur.

Good god.

It's not just simple/short move more like short routine unique to Milly no one uses that when dancing and of course you can't copyright just simple one move because everyone uses in some way, that's what people don't get it here or mixing up with move like high five so in this case devs not even mimicing original dance routine by Milly, but making money of it, which is greedy and wrong, and fortnite sucks btw.

Line 1 : Sick? As stated its a body movement, so fair game. In this case it feels like it'll lead to far more exposure : Who here or IRL have heard of Fortnite? Care to re-poll and replace "Fortnite" with "Rapper 2 Milly"?
It's more then one move so it's short routine, if all this story wouldn't blow up people wouldn't even know who's 2 MIlly, so there won't be any exposure.
He's about as much reason to be upset as the unknown dude where he originally got the dance from. This ludicrous. You can't copyright a dance. Nothing to see here.
So who's dude he stole it from?
 

mckmas8808

Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
You can copyright choreography in the US afaik. I’ve been wondering when Fortnite would run into legal trouble with some of the signature dance moves. The fact that they took it down says they were potentially already served with an injunction to cease and desist.

They took the Milly Rock dance out of Fortnite?
 

mckmas8808

Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
In the OP it said it’s no longer purchasable but those who already paid for it still can use it.

Welp! That right there shows that this isn't some dumb story like some in this thread are making it out to be. Epic is at least acknowledging that there could be something there, there.
 

Dunki

Member
Welp! That right there shows that this isn't some dumb story like some in this thread are making it out to be. Epic is at least acknowledging that there could be something there, there.
Wait you mean fake outrage on social media and go makes companies react to? Who knew. Epic is playing it safe yes but his also means this fake outcry resulted that the company removed the dance because it is not fucking worth any trouble at all.

Again they will never pay him but rather remove the dance. So I do not know how popular this 2 Milly guy is but if he is not this is not helping getting more popular.

And I will say it again. In the era thread there is a video in which he said that he got the move from someone else. But yeah let this asshole have his move and wile Fortnite makes millions he will get nothing of it.
 
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cryptoadam

Banned
I only agree since Epic are selling these emotes for 5$ a pop and making money off of it. Wether he is right or not I don't know but if I was in his shoes I would try to cash in. I think we all would if someone was taking are work and making money off of it.

If the emotes were free then I dont agree, but once Epic starts charging for them then its a different story. If they were using a sample from a famouse song and charging 5 bucks for it you bet that musician would be sueing too. Then it would be up the courts to decide.
 
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