Will.i.am Suing Pharrell Williams Over Use Of "I Am"... Or Is He?

In an Alan Partridge-eqsue event, Will.i.am seemed to be suing his fellow pop star Pharrell for his use of the phrase “I am”. Don’t worry though; you can say things like “I am tired” or “I am angry” to your friends. Will.i.am won’t sue you, we think.

Will.i.am, a voice coach on the judge after making his name with The Black Eyed Peas, was reported to be taking Williams to court because he “I AM” is a trademark of his, and that Pharrell's logo is “confusingly similar” to his “i.am+” iPhone camera add-on.

Pharrell Williams told Rolling Stone magazine: “I am disappointed that Will, a fellow artist, would file a case against me. I am someone who likes to talk things out and, in fact, I attempted to do just that on many occasions. I am surprised in how this is being handled and I am confident that Will's trademark claims will ultimately be found to be as meritless and ridiculous as I do.“

“i am OTHER” is the brand set up by Will.i.am; it’s an online service that strives to discover new talent – something that the rapper has become more and more interested in since judging talent on The Voice. Will.i.am's lawyer Ken Hertz has now denied there is going to be a courtroom showdown. "Will.i.am is not suing Pharrell Williams," he told Radio 1's Newsbeat. "What Will.i.am has done is what any trademark owner must do to protect and maintain a trademark. This is a run-of-the-mill trademark dispute that has been going on since late last year.”