DJ Khaled Sues Company Over Trademark Applications that Use His Son’s Name

By Josh Gerben, Esq.

It started with Beyoncé and Jay-Z.  The Beckhams did it.  Now it is DJ Khaled’s turn.

The latest celebrity must-have is a trademark registration for their child’s name.

DJ Khaled filed a trademark for his son’s name ASAHD for just about every product and service imaginable.  This means that DJ Khaled apparently has an intent to sell everything from first aid kits to dried fruit-based snacks under ASAHD’s name (see ASAHD’s USPTO trademark application).

Moreover, on June 8th, DJ Khaled filed a lawsuit in the Southern District New York accusing Curtis Bordenave, owner of the Business Moves Consulting Inc, of making apparel that features his son’s name but without parental consent.

Business Moves Consulting Inc. had also filed multiple trademark applications around the name ASAHD.  The USPTO was on top of the issue and already issued initial refusals to the applications, finding that these marks could be falsely associated with Asahd Tuck Khaled, DJ Khaled’s son.  At the time of this post, there are outstanding Office Actions against the filings ASAHD, A.S.A.H.D A SON AND HIS DAD and ASAHD COUTURE, which are all owned by Bordenave’s company, that reference the potential for a false connection with the musical artist and his son.

These types of issues will most of the time get settled well before the case goes to trial.  Therefore, it is unlikely that DJ Khaled will be engaged in a lengthy legal battle.  Ultimately, it will be interesting to see if DJ Khaled ultimately sells all of the goods under ASAHD’s name that he lists in the application.  Ironically, DJ Khaled’s application on his own name only covers music related items (no ancillary products) in just two classes.  The application filed on ASAHD is in a whopping twenty five classes.

• SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON:

Josh Gerben, Esq.

Josh Gerben, Esq. is the founder and principal of Gerben IP. In 2008, Mr. Gerben started the firm to provide high-quality trademark services at reasonable prices. Today, he is recognized by the World Trademark Review as a top trademark filer, having registered over 7,500 trademarks. The contents of this blog are for informational purposes only and may not be relied on as legal advice.