OutKast Sues Oakland Rapper Ovrkast Over Similar Name
Hip-hop legends OutKast have sued rising Bay Area rapper-producer ovrkast., real name Silas Wilson, for trademark infringement because of similarities in their names, and are using Wilson’s own words from an interview as evidence.
OutKast filed the case in federal court in Georgia on Sept. 16, accusing Wilson of violating an agreement to phase out his use of the ovrkast. name. OutKast, the Atlanta duo composed of Big Boi (Antwan Patton) and André 3000 (André Benjamin), first sent Wilson a cease and desist in June 2025.
According to court documents, the two parties came to an agreement that Wilson would change his name to Overkxst by July 15, 2026, and stop using the name ovrkast. on social media, streaming platforms, merch and other places where he promotes his shows and music. As of publication time, his Instagram is still up as ovrkast., and he released a new single under the name — “Knock” featuring Samara Cyn and MAVI — on Sept. 10.
One of the pieces of evidence in the case is a 2025 Rolling Stone interview with Wilson where he talks about his rise from Oakland’s underground hip-hop scene to producing for Drake and other big names. In the interview, Wilson said his name has caused confusion among hip-hop fans: “The worst thing I get is like, ‘The n— think he OutKast,’” he said at the time. “It’s like, ‘No, bro. I wasn’t even thinking about OutKast.’ Mad n—s do that shit. They read Ovrkast [as] OutKast. They’re like, oh my God, I thought they said OutKast. And it’s like, it don’t, so…”
In the court complaint, OutKast claims the similar names are likely to “deceive the public into the false belief that the services offered by [Wilson] come from or are otherwise sponsored by, connected with, or affiliated with [OutKast,] which they are not.”
Wilson didn’t return KQED’s request for comment, but he posted a screenshot of an article about the lawsuit from AllHipHop, which first reported on the case. “I’m jus a young Back man trying to get ahead,” he wrote in the comments.
In their court filing, OutKast demanded a jury trial. It’s not the first time the duo has taken an artist to court over similar allegations: They sued EDM due ATLiens, whose name was inspired by OutKast’s 1996 album of the same title, and settled out of court earlier this year.