Jay-Z and his attorneys want to talk to David Ortiz about his hot sauce.
When the Red Sox slugger attempted to settle the trademark infringement case behind the Forty-Forty club he backed in Dominican Republic, he offered to take down his website and change the name of his venue but also contended that he can’t be sued in New York because he has no business ties with the state.
Jay and his lawyers though recently won permission to question the baseball player about his brand of hot sauce labeled the Big Papi En Fuego, which was developed and marketed by Off Beat LLC, a Manhattan licensing firm.
The Manhattan Federal Court judge presiding over the case, Richard Berman, commented on the case and said that it would be in everyone’s best interest to settle it out of court.
Ortiz seemingly agreed and sent his lawyer Phillip Touitou to negotiate in his behalf but the latest findings may draw out the settlement talks.
“My client offered to take down the allegedly infringing website, and we’re going to talk about the name of the Dominican Republic Club,” said Touitou to the New York Post.
Jay’s lawyer, Peter Raymond, said that they wouldn’t commit to anything yet.
“We’re going to talk about it, or we’re going to litigate,” he said.
The New York rapper is asking for $5 million in damages that resulted from the infringement.