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June 19, 2013

Reality Star Vs. Rapper: The Battle Over 'YUUUP!'

by Chris Harnick, posted Nov 16th 2011 1:30PM

Dave Hester, Trey Songz'Storage Wars' star Dave Hester is in a legal battle with rapper Trey Songz over the use of the phrase "YUUUP!"

This is a real story.

According to the New York Post, Hester filed suit against Trey Songz (real name Tremaine Neverson), seeking a court order that bars the rapper from "interfering" with Hester's use of "YUUP!"

Trey Songz's attorneys sent a cease-and-desist letter to Hester, demanding the reality show fixture stop using the phrase during the show's auctions. Trey Songz maintains "YUUUP!" has been his "signature sound" since 2009. However, the rapper never trademarked the saying.

Hester registered "YUUUP!" on three occasions, the most recent in May 2011. The A&E star says the two "YUUUP!s" are different. Trey Songz's versions, according to Hester's court documents, sounds like "an animal-like or non-human squeal which begins with a distinct 'yeeee' sound before finishing with a squeal-like 'uuuup' sound."

The Hollywood Reporter says Trey Songz could have gotten a trademark on the sound of the word itself.

Compare their "YUUUP!s" below.

Trey Songz:


Dave Hester:


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354 Comments

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paulntraci99

How stupid. Don't either one have better things to do?

January 29 2013 at 9:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Kristi

you can't type the word you when posting comments here I trademarked it. I've also trademarked all prepositions and any word starting with a letter form the alphabet.

January 17 2012 at 9:17 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Kristi's comment
Tom Corr

!@$%&&*(!@$%^&(())__)(*&^%$#@@@#^&UII

January 29 2013 at 9:52 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
partyx2

You have to be kidding me, I guess the rapper isn't making much money with his so called music, "YUUUUP" that he has to bring a suit up on someone anyone, that uses the only word he knows. I find it funny as all hell, lets get real people, and grow up, IT'S A WORD, and quite frankly, annoying from both of them, .........

November 17 2011 at 5:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bertie

How stupid...now we have to be careful to not say words that are copyrighted? Please...grow up! There is at least one person in every auction crowd in the country that yells "Yuuup" or Yep" to confirm a bid...it is part of the game. People need to grow up already!
YUUUUP!!!!!

November 16 2011 at 10:28 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
clb45para

Oh for heavens sakes. Auctioneers, bid spotters and bidders have used that sound at auctions for ever. Rapper doesn't have a clue what it means.

November 16 2011 at 9:45 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
harolddundee

Talk about a couple of idiots.

November 16 2011 at 9:28 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
duh rula

Idiots..both of them!!, but as usual it all comes down to the dollar.

November 16 2011 at 9:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joebudgie

What a waste of our courts time. Both of these jerks should be boycotted until they grow up. I've heard people say the word "yuup' many time since the 1950's to present day. How can anyone "trademark" a word that has been in common usage.for decades?

November 16 2011 at 9:15 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
janette631

Both losers...

November 16 2011 at 8:30 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
knute9

These guys have been illegally using my phase I created decades ago. When I was a teenager I was lying on the couch watching TV, and my Mama came in yelling "Did you clean your bedroom?" and I replied "YUUUP!"

November 16 2011 at 8:13 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply

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