Cassper Nyovest has called foul after musician Benny Mayengani used his popular #FillUp acronym to fill up 20,000 capacity stadium Giyani Stadium this week.
Cassper claims he owns the trademark and as such no other person is allowed to use it in South Africa.
Cassper, real name Refiloe Phoolo, attracted thousands of fans to concerts at the Dome and FNB Stadium using the #FillUpTheDome and #FillupFNBStadium concept.
Cassper’s manager Lerato ‘TLee’ Moiloa said the hip-hop star trademarked the concept a year ago. He said they have approached a legal team to deal with the Mayengani issue.
“This guy (Cassper) spent so many millions building the #FillUp brand, now you want to come and eat from it, and if he does anything about it ‘he is being a bully or victimising people’,” he said.
“If you don’t have permission then you are infringing his copy rights and there are legal implications.”
Moiloa said he called Fill Up Giyani Stadium organiser Howard Mushava of Shilubani Holdings three weeks ago to stop them from using the concept.
“He got a call from me three weeks ago and I was so kind and said it’s great that (Fill Up) is inspiring people to do a similar thing but you can’t just create your own chicken in Soweto or where ever, and call it KFC, it’s copyright infringement,” Moiloa said.
“Why is it that somebody can just come and steal a black child’s idea, and it’s okay, we just have to accept it, and if we do something about it legally then we are getting smacks…? It’s amazing that it’s inspiring but it should inspire you to do your own thing and not steal,” he said.
Mashava said he researched a few months back and found that the idea was not registered under anyone.
“I checked that word before we started with this concert to check if it’s registered. This thing was not actually started by him, it was started by Black Coffee,” he said.
Mashava said the popular Tsonga star, who is affectionately known as The President by his fans, is preparing to fill up Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane in December.
Nyovest is also preparing to Fill Up Moses Mabhida Stadium in Kwazulu-Natal with a capacity of 85000 people in December.
Mayengani was not immediately available for comment yesterday.
