Judge Sides with Rick Ross in Lawsuit Brought Forth by Former Drug Kingpin 'Freeway' Ricky Ross

For the second time, a judge has sided with rapper Rick Ross in a lawsuit brought forth by former drug kingpin, “Freeway” Ricky Ross in which the latter claims the Miami entertainer profited off stealing his name and image, reports Billboard. An appeals court judge recently ruled that the MMG boss has “entitlement to protection” to use the name under the First Amendment.

Freeway initially brought forth the reported $10 million lawsuit back in 2010 one year after being released from prison. The suit was thrown out by a judge citing “single publication” law which claims he waited to long to file. He was eventually granted this appeal, but the judge in this case has given the rapper “entitlement to protection” saying he did not wholeheartedly swipe the elder Ross’ identity, but used the “raw material” to compile his persona. “Roberts created a celebrity identity, using the name Rick Ross, of a cocaine kingpin turned rapper,” says the ruling handed down by Judge Roger Boren. “He was not simply an imposter seeking to profit solely off the name and reputation of Rick Ross. Rather, he made music out of fictional tales of dealing drugs and other exploits — some of which related to plaintiff. Using the name and certain details of an infamous criminal’s life as basic elements, he created original artistic works.”