You know the floss.
Its everywhere.
Its one of the most recognizeable dance moves from 2018.
Everyone is doing the floss, and even fornite players can make their characters do the floss,
they’ve listed it as an emote that can be bought or won by players when they advance
to a higher level.
Well it turns out, the guy who invented the dancemove, aka backpack kid is suing fortnite
for using his trademark dancemove.
Ya did an oopsie.
What is happening good people of youtube I’m charlotte and this is inform overload, where
we tell you about what’s trending on the internet.
Like sub turn on the bell and tell me in the comments below
The floss became a viral dance move and global phenomenon after the backpack kid performed
on stage with katy perry on Saturday night live last year.
But the backpack kid was also doing the floss in posts on his instagram, which already had
a pretty sizeable following before he appeared on Saturday night live.
He first did the dance move in 2016 at a dance off for his church club.
A video of the dance was posted to his instagram, which he hoped would get him to 400 followers.
When he woke up the next day, he had over 5000 followers and his instagram started going
superviral.
Then Rihanna reposted a video of him doing the floss, and then katy perry invited him
to perform with her on Saturday night live.
Russel was also invited to many events and performances to do the floss for audiences.
Since then, everyone has been doing the floss.
From celebrities to professional atheletes.
Russel now has 2.3 million followers on instagram at the time of this recording.
The backpack kid’s real name is Russel Horning.
He’s 16 years old and he’s from the state of Georgia.
He is one of several people to take legal action against Epic Games, as well as NBA
2k for using his signature dance move in their games without paying royalties.
Apparently the people who created the games didn’t even reach out to him to ask permission
to use the floss in their games.
The lawsuit is being filed by Russell’s mother Annetta because Russell is under 18.
According to the suit, both the games have used the dance moves and profited off of it.
So can you copyright a dance move?
Apparently, under united states copyright law, you can.
Under united states copyright law, a dance is protected under copyright if it has been
performed in a video and effectevly recorded as the copyright holder’s own.
But that’s where this gets tricky.
Russel doesn’t technically own the dance, but he is filing for ownership.
You also have to prove that you created the dance move.
There is some disupute as to whether or not russel was the first person to do the floss
because there is a video exists from 2012 of a bunch of kids lip syncing one directions,
you are beautiful at 3 minutes and 7 seconds in to the video, one of them can be seen doing
the floss.
This video was posted 4 years before russel did it at his church club.
There’s also another video from January 2011 of the mashed potato man flossing.
The videos are in the second article.
It also gets kind of tricky because back in june of 2018, at E3 pro am, horning was asked
by tmz if he thought he should be getting anything from having his dance in fortnite,
and he said, its not that big of a deal.
Im just glad its in the game.
All of this being said, the floss is one of the most famous dances in fortnite.
I mean he did technically bring the floss into the mainstream, even if he wasn’t the
first person to do it.
The backpack Kid isn’t the only person suing fortnite for stealing their dance moves.
Rapper 2 milly is also suing fortnite for using his move, the milly rock.
And Alfonso Ribero from The Fresh Prince of Bel Aire is another who is suing forntite
over his use of the carlton dance.
The dance was first performed in an episode of the fresh prince of bel aire in 1991.
All three, alfonso ribero, 2 milly and the backpack kid are represented by the same law
firm, Purewal Parners, who is trying to get as may people together as possible to file
the lawsuit in order to put pressure on epic games for an out of court settlement.
When speaking about the lawsuit, russel said, I’m just a teen having fun in life, I leave
all that other stuff to the adults and management.
I’m more focused on my ep dropping tomorrow and my birthday.
Well there you have it, do you guys think the backpack kid should win this lawsuit?
Let me know in those comments.
For now I’m going to wrap up this video with some comment replies.
Pratika Bhandary – charlotte hello and Namaste all the way from Nepal.
I am the biggest fan of you and IO.
You have such a charming personality.
I hope to see you in all io videos.
Keep up the good work.
Oh hey thanks so much pratika for being such a huge fan, you are the bomb diggity.
Why you smiling when you’re next – charlotte I could eat a bowel of cheerios out of your
bellybutton.
bowel.
Oh you mean bowl.
Weird flex but ok.
Ms Tiger – lets go to charlottes place for Christmas.
I actually wont be at my place for Christmas, I’ll be at my parents place in Calgary.
Tacos Forever – I clicked the bell for charlote’s wonky eye.