Russian rapper Alexey Domatov, widely known by his stage name Guf, has agreed through his company Doma LLC to pay more than 1.4 million rubles to the Russian Authors' Society following a copyright infringement lawsuit approved by the Sverdlovsk Region Arbitration Court.
The settlement resolves a legal claim originally filed by the copyright organization for 4.4 million rubles, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported. Under the terms of the financial agreement, Doma LLC will pay 1.2 million rubles to settle its principal debt, alongside additional statutory penalties incurred for missing author royalty payment deadlines.
The out-of-court settlement was officially ratified by the Sverdlovsk Region Arbitration Court. Arbitration courts in the Russian judicial system specialize in resolving commercial, corporate, and financial disputes between corporate entities and regulatory bodies.
Claims Involving International Artists
The case is part of a broader series of legal actions brought against the performer's business enterprise during the spring and summer, with total claims reaching 7.9 million rubles. The Russian Authors' Society alleged that Doma LLC infringed on exclusive rights relating to 11 specific musical compositions produced by seven different recording artists.
The affected catalog includes tracks by major international hip-hop and pop figures, including Drake, Doja Cat, Future, Juice WRLD, Yeat, YG, and Kamaiyah, alongside Belarusian singer Tima Belorusskih. The Russian Authors' Society operates as Russia's primary collective rights management agency, collecting performance fees from commercial establishments and distributing them to foreign and domestic copyright holders.
Musician's Background and Legal Record
Guf, born Alexey Domatov, is one of the most recognizable names in Russian rap, having achieved widespread prominence in the mid-2000s as a founding member of the influential hip-hop group Centr. Over his multi-decade career, he has released several solo albums and expanded into business, operating Doma LLC as a primary commercial vehicle.
The resolution of the copyright suit follows another court outcome involving the artist earlier in the year. The Moscow Regional Court previously dropped a criminal case against Guf stemming from a physical altercation at a bathhouse complex after he reached a formal reconciliation agreement with the victim.
