I'm not a fan of urban hip-hop music, nor of professional wrestling, so it's no surprise I'm only slightly familiar with rapper Jay-Z, or that I've never heard of pro wrestler Diamond Dallas Page before now. Jay-Z, CEO and president of Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella recording companies as well as part-owner of the New Jersey Nets NBA basketball team, has recently heard from wrestler-turned-actor Page, though, through his attorneys, according to MTV News. Page is claiming that Jay-Z has misappropriated and used improperly Page's "trademarked" hand gesture, and is suing over trademark and copyright infringement.
Page, a pro wrestler since 1991, apparently uses as part of his stage persona a hand gesture that consists of putting his hands together into the shape of a diamond or triangle, touching his thumbs together and his index fingers together. The gesture, which Page calls the "Diamond Cutter," looks to me like what I've seen dozens of stage magicians do at one time or another.
What got my attention in an article about the case on the Memphis Rap website was this line: "The symbol is most common amongst the Freemasonry fraternity and other groups."
Anyone seen this symbol in a lodge? And if so, then can Masons claim that Diamond Dallas Page and Jay-Z are both misusing a Freemasonic trademark? What about all those other Masonic due guards, signs and symbols? Someone somewhere is bound to be using them, accidentally or purposefully, improperly. Can we claim trademark rights to the Eye in the Pyramid on the back of dollar bills? How about the very name "Freemasons," now used by an electronica/house music act from England?
Trademark lawsuits and licensing agreements could become goldmines for small lodges looking for new income streams. It would sure beat sitting up all night making barbecue to sell as a fundraiser.
Masons | Masonic Symbols | Pro Wrestling | Freemasonry | BurningTaper.com | Hip Hop | Jay-Z | Diamond Dallas Page| Burning Taper
LOL...never heard of the "diamond cutter" but got a good chuckle from your post. Thanks for making me laugh!
ReplyDeleteI've seen the gesture in thelemic lodges...
ReplyDeleteHow many athletes have done the throat slit?
ReplyDeleteJennifer,
ReplyDeleteCan you tell us what the gesture means in the thelemic lodge?
— W.S.
Trademark lawsuits and licensing agreements could become goldmines for small lodges looking for new income streams. It would sure beat sitting up all night making barbecue to sell as a fundraiser
ReplyDeleteYou fuckin assclown. You would take this to court. Why? Cause you are nothing more then a greedy son of a bitch. All you really care about is the fuckin money. Bitch.
Andy Warhol
widow's peak=bitch mouth!
I'll say that I see the resemblance. I also see why they would say that it's a freemason symbol. I can also say that rumor to me was that Jay-Z was an active member in a lodge too. As far as diamond goes.. I don't know.
ReplyDeleteIt represents the fire triangle, aqnd is used during the mass...is also one of the GD 'grade signs.'
ReplyDeleteAnd if you look at the shape of inside the S&S, you get that "Diamond Cutter" outline.
ReplyDeleteHey, it's on the internet, so it must be true!
Tom Accuosti
The Tao of Masonry
What? You enabled comment moderation?
ReplyDeleteDang!
That's what happens to all you pot-stirrers, I guess.
Tom Accuosti
The Tao of Masonry
The comment moderation thing has become necessary to save readers from the daily rants of a certain anonymous foul-mouthed hooligan who stops by once or twice a day to call me a *** **** ************* *** ** * ***** ***** ********. I've never seen someone so angry at someone he doesn't know about such unimportant matters.
ReplyDelete— W.S.
"Trademark lawsuits and licensing agreements could become goldmines for small lodges looking for new income streams."
ReplyDeleteomfg wtf. trying to generate income from suing others using hand signals? fuckin masons.
Mercury Sun: Can you not tell sarcasm when you read it? Sheesh....
ReplyDelete— W.S.
jay-z is a mason, how do you think he got so famous,rich and big so quickly? he stole much of the lyrics from other rappers, nas is a mason, so is mobbeep, and many others, now i dont know if there puppets for them or mind controlled who knows. Take a look at mobbdeep's cd blood money, i'm pretty sure he is wearing some masonic symbols, plus here is a line from one of his songs "The Illuminati wants my mind soul and my body, a secret society tryin' to keep their eye on me". The main thing to know is who is controlling that artist, label wise, ect...
ReplyDeleteNow also look at mobbdeep in this youtube video,what the hell happened to him? a lot of satanic symbolism and others, someone wearing 3, just look and u will see, and i'm pretty sure the devil in that video turns into Anton Szandor LaVey, founder of church of satan, and 33 degree mason.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZLuFIADKYg
http://universalurban.com/mobbdeep/
Not sure how accurate this is, but I don't think there is any "suing" to be had here. With trademark law, like copyright and patent law, there is an issue of prior art. If something has been used, as this gesture/symbol would have by masons, this diamond cutter guy can not claim to have a trademark on it. It has existed for centuries (trademarked or not) and thus can not now be considered trademarkable.
ReplyDeleteI really love diamons, they drives me crazy crazy, i think if a man came to me with a diamond ring i could give him all my heart, and i decided to read this blog because it seemed very interesting and wonderful.
ReplyDelete__________________________________________
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