Outkast and ATLiens have reportedly settled the trademark case surrounding the hip-hop duo’s creation of the term and rights to use the name.
Legendary hip-hop duo Outkast and bass duo ATLiens, two Atlanta-based acts, have settled their trademark lawsuit. The legal complaint, filed in 2024, claimed the bass duo trademarked the name in 2020 without the knowledge or permission of Outkast, who had coined the term in 1996 with the release of their sophomore album.
According to Rolling Stone, paperwork was filed in a US District court in Georgia on February 19 that noted the two parties had “reached an agreement on a general settlement framework.” While court documents revealed that a formal settlement agreement was being drafted and negotiated at the time, the terms of the deal were not disclosed. A judge accepted the motion to terminate the civil suit the following day (February 20).
The term ATLiens was first used by Outkast as the title of their sophomore album, with the lawsuit alleging that it “was not used in the cultural lexicon” prior to that. Invented terms like “ATLiens” can be considered “fanciful” marks, which receive stronger protection under trademark law because they lack meaning before being popularized by their initial creator. The bass duo’s use of the name was brought into question in the initial complaint, along with the potential confusion arising from their mysterious, masked personas that could lead consumers to mistakenly believe that Outkast is involved with them.
“Both are duos from Atlanta, Georgia, both perform and record music in related musical genres (hip-hop/R&B and EDM), and both have promoted their music, live performances, and related goods and services using space and/or alien-themed imagery,” the 2024 filing claimed.
Per the initial complaint, Outkast sought to have ATLiens stop using the name on any website, social media account, or otherwise, to have the service mark canceled, and to collect financial compensation for any damages. Due to the confidential nature of the settlement, it’s unclear whether ATLiens will be forced to rebrand or if the duo will press on under the alias on modified terms. Neither party has spoken about the settlement at the time of publication.