DJ Who Spawned #UMadeItChallenge Blindsided By Pastor Shirley’s Suit
Exclusive: DJ Who Spawned #UMadeItChallenge Blindsided By Pastor Shirley Ceasar’s Suit - Page 2
DJ Suede In Legal Battle With One Time Collaborator Pastor Shirley Ceasar
The DJ who produced the viral #UNameIt song featuring Pastor Shirley Ceasar said he felt blindsided by her move to sue him last week.
DJ Suede said he and the veteran gospel singer had a deal in place for #UNameIt almost from the beginning, and were always cool and cordial with one another. He believes someone is in her ear to urge her to sue.
“I respect Pastor Shirley’s position and there’s no beef at all with everybody,” the 26-year-old Atlanta DJ told us in an exclusive interview. “I really feel like it’s her legal team. I want this to be a good thing for the both of us.”
The gospel singer sued DJ Suede, Empire Records and others for $5 million last week, claiming he illegally released the song on iTunes, and his video for the song – which features a short clip of alcohol and twerking – negatively impacted her image and legacy. We’ve reached out to Pastor Ceasar’s rep for comment.
“We weren’t focusing the video around any negativity,” DJ Suede said of the video. “It wasn’t about twerking, liquor…It was just fun. Everybody had fun. I don’t think we tarnished or brought anything bad to her name.”
The DJ said he saw a clip of the reverend singing “Hold My Mule,” shortly before the holidays, and with Thanksgiving around the corner, was inspired to create the now-viral hit. He said he put the song out, and within 24 hours Chris Brown released a video dancing to it, Ciara tweeted about it and it seemed like everyone’s timeline was blowing up with the #UNameItChallenge. It even went to number one on the gospel Billboard charts and became the number one ringtone.
The song was also a shot in the arm for Pastor Ceasar’s career as well. Her album sales went up, she appeared on national TV to discuss the song and she released a line of aprons, ugly Christmas sweaters and other merchandise based off the song, the proceeds of which she donated to charity.
“It’s kind of biting the hand that feeds you, but I don’t look for any handouts,” the DJ said. “I was happy to get her to another level in her life.”
DJ Suede said that from the beginning, his lawyers were negotiating with the “Hold My Mule” singer’s team to make sure they both fared well. He said they agreed they’d split the sales profits down the middle, and he even agreed to make sure she got the lion’s share of the publishing.
But the producer refuses to believe that the Rev. Ceasar is behind the legal battle, and instead thinks a lawyer or another member of her camp is pushing the case forward. And Suede said he’s confident that things will work out.
“I look forward to meeting her, giving her a hug and thanking her for what she’s done,” the DJ said.
