Ginuwine copyright

NEW YORK — A federal judge dismissed copyright claims against the rapper Ginuwine brought by the co-author of a soul single, "Help Me Put Out The Flame (In My Heart)," alleging that the rapper used the introduction to his song in two songs — "Paper Chase," and "Toe 2 Toe." The three-bar guitar riff is substantially similar to prior works in the public domain, and subtle rhythmic differences are not enough to merit copyright protection.