Hip-hop legend Dr. Dre loses trademark battle to gynecologist Dr. Drai
Dr. Dre, left, lost a trademark battle with a gynecologist who calls himself Dr. Drai.
(Reuters/Instagram)
Legendary hip-hop icon and music mogul Dr. Dre lost a trademark battle last week with a Pennsylvania-based gynecologist named Dr. Draion M. Burch.
The former NWA star, whose real name is Andre Young, entered the copyright infringement case against Burch, who sought to trademark his moniker Dr. Drai, in 2015. The rapper argued that the similarities in their nicknames would confuse consumers and fans, BBC reported Tuesday.
The U.S. trademark office ruled that even though the two names are similar, Dr. Dre failed to show how people would be misled into buying Burch’s products. Burch offers expensive speaking engagements along with books and officials said people would research the actual doctor before buying his products, according to Consequences of Sound.
Burch contended that it would be unlikely consumers would be confused by the names.
“Dr. Dre is not a medical doctor nor is he qualified to provide any type of medical services or sell products specifically in the medical or healthcare industry,” he said.
He also said that any association with Dr. Dre might produce a harmful effect on his product because of some of the rapper’s song lyrics.
Burch bills himself as one of the top health experts in the U.S. and is the author of several books, including “20 Things You May Not Know About A Vagina.”