Outkast settles trademark lawsuit against ATLiens

Outkast has settled the ATLiens lawsuit, but the story behind the iconic name and why it sparked a legal battle might surprise you.

Hip-hop group Outkast has reached a settlement with ATLiens to end a trademark infringement lawsuit over the use of the name “ATLiens.” Attorneys for Outkast members Antwan Patton, known as Big Boi, and André Benjamin have “reached agreement on a general settlement framework” to resolve the case, according to court filings.

Lawyers for both sides wrote that they are “hopeful that the case will be fully resolved within ninety days … if not sooner.” The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. Outkast filed the lawsuit in 2023 against the Atlanta-based EDM group, arguing that ATLiens was a term they created by combining “aliens” with their hometown of “Atlanta.”

The hip-hop duo’s lawyers wrote at the time that the name “was not used in the cultural lexicon and did not exist” before Outkast created it. The name comes from Outkast’s second studio album, released in 1996, which spent 33 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart. The album’s title track reached No. 35 on the Hot 100.

In the lawsuit, Outkast alleged the EDM duo’s use of the name confused music fans. The hip-hop group also argued that because the electronic music act performs in masks, consumers might mistakenly believe the two groups are connected. According to the filing, “The duo comprising defendant performs with masks on, thereby concealing their identities such that consumers will mistakenly believe that the members of defendant are one and the same with – or at least somehow connected to – plaintiff.”

ATLiens, which allegedly began using the name in 2012, denied any wrongdoing in its 2024 response and rejected that Outkast had “any trademark rights whatsoever in the ATLIENS mark.” The case was paused for more than a year while the two sides negotiated the settlement.

Featured image credit: The New York Times/ATLiens press

About The Author

Ashley Palya

I’ve been writing, covering events, and doing interviews with Exron for nearly four years, but have been an EDM-lover for over a decade. The music community and industry has a special place in my heart and I love exploring the depths. EDC Las Vegas is my favorite festival and this year will be my sixth time attending. Some other recent festivals I’ve been are Ultra, Elements, Lost Lands, Electric Forest, and Arc. I’ve been getting more into experimental bass, but techno and house will always have my heart. <3

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