Lil Wayne Settles "Playing With Fire" Lawsuit With the Rolling Stones' Publishers

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Lil Wayne has settled the lawsuit the Rolling Stones' publishing company Abkco slapped him with after the rapper's Tha Carter III song "Playing With Fire" was deemed too similar to the Stones' 1965 hit "Play With Fire." Abkco originally sued Lil Wayne in July 2008. The lawsuit cited lyrical comparisons like the Stones' original chorus "But don't play with me, 'cause you're playing with fire," and Wayne's line "But you can't blame me if I set this stage on fire," and also alleged that the public might assume the Rolling Stones approved of Wayne's use of "explicit, sexist and offensive language" — because in no way would the Stones ever want to affiliate themselves with explicit, sexist and offensive lyrics. (See: Some Girls.)

While originally denying any wrongdoing, Wayne wisely removed "Playing With Fire" from all TC3 copies being sold through digital music services to avoid having to lose any royalties from online sales. (It was replaced by a track called "Pussy Monster.") Tha Carter III sold over a million copies in its debut week in 2008. We won't find out how much of that royalty money is going to Abkco, however, as "terms of the settlement are governed by a confidentiality agreement." Both parties are "satisfied with the amicable settlement," a statement reads.

While the Stones deprived Weezy off rocking out to "Playing With Fire," the rapper will have an opportunity to get his thrash on when he explores his rock star alter ego on his new album Rebirth, due out April 7th. Check below for more on Wayne's transformation from MC to MC5:

• Inside Lil Wayne's "Real Rock Album": "Prom Queen" Producers Talk "Rebirth"
• Lil Wayne Plots Rock Album "Rebirth," First Single "Prom Queen" Leaks

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• How Lil Wayne Became a Superstar
• Inside the Strange Mind of Lil Wayne

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Song Stories

“Everyday People”

Sly and the Family Stone | 1968

"Everyday People" managed to trailblaze in two different ways -- it was one of the first pop hits to deal with the subject of racial harmony, and it utilized Larry Graham's "slap" technique on the bass guitar, which would soon be copied by countless other bassists. Graham once said about his pulsating style, "I'd never done that before … that's where the freedom of creativity came in for the band, that we'd be allowed to do that." In 1978, the song's line "Different strokes for different folks" would be borrowed for the title of the hit television show Diff'rent Strokes.

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