LaFontaine terminates agreement with third-part vendor

DETROIT, MICHIGAN – APRIL 25: Rapper Marshall “Eminem” Mathers walks onstage during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza on April 25, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) (Gregory Shamus, 2024 Getty Images)

DETROIT – Eminem’s music publishing company “Eight Mile Style” has sued a Metro Detroit Ford dealership, accusing it of copyright infringement in federal court for the use of his hit song “Lose Yourself.”

Eight Mile Style controls Eminem’s (real name Marshall Mathers) early catalog and filed the suit, which Local 4 obtained Tuesday, Jan. 28.

The suit is against La Fontaine Ford St. Clair, and it alleges that the dealership used the song in online advertisements for the special edition Detroit Lions F-150 pickup trucks.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer sits in a limited edition Detroit Lions F-150 Hybrid at the Detroit Auto Show, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

The suit says the ads ran on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and other social media sites from September to October 2024.

Eminem and the Lions are a staple in the Motor City. The Detroit native grew up in the city and is known to frequent Ford Field during the NFL season for his hometown team’s games.

DETROIT, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 9: Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff throws a football to the crowd after getting out of a Detroit Lions Edition Ford F-150 Powerboost Hybrid at a Ford “Detroit Proud” event at the 2025 Detroit Auto Show at Huntington Place on January 9, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. The Detroit Auto Show opens to the public on January 11th and runs through January 20th .(Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images) (2025 Getty Images)

The ad allegedly had a caption that said, “You only get one shot to own a Special Edition Detroit Lions F-150.”

The suit says that Eight Mile Style asked a judge to find that the dealer violated their copyright and order it to cease and desist while entering a judgment for damages and profits related to the infringements of the publisher’s copyright.

A spokesperson for LaFontaine Automotive Group sent a statement and said they have terminated their contractual agreement with the third-party vendor.

At LaFontaine Automotive Group, we take intellectual property rights and copyright compliance very seriously.

We were recently made aware of a lawsuit filed by Eight Mile Style LLC regarding the unauthorized use of an Eminem song in a social media video associated with LaFontaine Ford St. Clair.

We want to be very clear: The unauthorized use of this song was the result of actions taken by a third-party vendor marketing, without the knowledge, authorization, or approval of LaFontaine Automotive Group.

Upon learning of this lawsuit, we immediately terminated our contractual agreement with this third-party vendor and are conducting a thorough review of our vendor processes to ensure this does not happen again.

We are working to resolve this matter expeditiously and in good faith.