Childish Gambino Lawyers’ $260,000 Fee Award Is Upheld on Appeal

A music artist remains on the hook for roughly $260,000 in fees to attorneys representing actor Donald Glover, who performs as rapper Childish Gambino, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday.

A district court didn’t abuse its discretion when it ordered Emelike Nwosuocha to pay the attorneys’ fees in his copyright case against Glover that was dismissed with prejudice, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit said in a summary order. Nwosuocha previously alleged Glover infringed upon his copyright through Glover’s 2018 hit song “This is America.”

“The record thus does not support the conclusion that the district ...