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Some performers say "Fortnite" is stealing their dances and should share the wealth
Oct 2, 2018

Some performers say "Fortnite" is stealing their dances and should share the wealth

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In the insanely popular video game "Fortnite," players can spend about five bucks to unlock dances called emotes for their characters to perform. And these dances are everywhere. You see them on playgrounds, in pro sports, and there are "Fortnite" dance classes.  But are they really "Fortnite" dances? Most of them appear borrowed, like the dance called “Ride the Pony,” which is pretty clearly “Gangnam Style.” There's the one called “Fresh,” which is a dead ringer for the “Carlton Dance” from the "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." Back in July, Chance the Rapper Tweeted at Epic Games, the maker of "Fortnite," and said it should give rappers and artists credit and cash for their dances. A rapper named 2 Milly has said he might sue Epic Games over his dance “Milly Rock,” which he alleges is “Swipe It” in "Fortnite." Host Molly Wood talks about it with Merlyne Jean-Louis, a lawyer and former dancer who's written about copyrighting choreography. (10/02/18)

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Christian Petersen/Getty Images

In the insanely popular video game “Fortnite,” players can spend about five bucks to unlock dances called emotes for their characters to perform. And these dances are everywhere. You see them on playgrounds, in pro sports, and there are “Fortnite” dance classes.  But are they really “Fortnite” dances? Most of them appear borrowed, like the dance called “Ride the Pony,” which is pretty clearly “Gangnam Style.” There’s the one called “Fresh,” which is a dead ringer for the “Carlton Dance” from the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Back in July, Chance the Rapper Tweeted at Epic Games, the maker of “Fortnite,” and said it should give rappers and artists credit and cash for their dances. A rapper named 2 Milly has said he might sue Epic Games over his dance “Milly Rock,” which he alleges is “Swipe It” in “Fortnite.” Host Molly Wood talks about it with Merlyne Jean-Louis, a lawyer and former dancer who’s written about copyrighting choreography. (10/02/18)

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