Outkast has filed a lawsuit in federal court in Georgia accusing California rapper and producer Ovrkast of trademark infringement, unfair competition, and breach of contract. The complaint, filed by Outkast’s trademark holding company High Schoolers, alleges that Ovrkast—the stage name of Silas Wilson—unlawfully uses a “nearly identical” name to trade on Outkast’s fame and goodwill.
Outkast, formed in 1993 by Big Boi (Antwan Patton) and André 3000 (André Benjamin), has won six Grammy Awards and sold more than 25 million records. The lawsuit claims Wilson’s use of the Ovrkast name has caused consumer confusion, citing a 2025 Rolling Stone interview in which Wilson acknowledged the issue: “They read Ovrkast [as] Outkast. They’re like, oh my God, I thought they said Outkast.”
According to the complaint, Outkast’s legal team contacted Wilson in June 2025 and reached a settlement agreement in which he would change his stage name to Overkxst by July 15, 2026. The lawsuit alleges Wilson subsequently reneged on the agreement and proposed alternative names that had been previously rejected.
The lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction barring Wilson from using the Ovrkast name, as well as compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, and destruction of merchandise bearing the disputed name. Wilson, who has produced tracks for artists including Drake and Earl Sweatshirt, could not be reached for comment.
Source: Rolling Stone
