The Supreme Court of the United States rejected an appeal involving one of 500 of lawsuits Bridgeport Music Inc. filed against numerous record labels and publishers, for sampling George Clinton's music without their permission.

Bridgeport Music appealed after lower courts ruled a lawsuit against Still N the Water Publishing, which represents recordings made by Rap-A-Lot Records, was filed in the wrong court.

Bridgeport claimed songs by The Geto Boys, Big Mike, Scarface, Yukmouth and others violated their copyrights, using portions of music Bridgeport owns by the legendary funkster.

Bridgeport is the entity that owns the copyrights to his music and Clinton cannot stop the lawsuits that are filed.

In the late 1990s, Clinton sued Bridgeport Music in an attempt to regain control of some of his much-sampled back catalogue, but failed.

Bridgeport is seeking $150,000 for each of the 500 infringements.