It takes a real OG gangster to sue a grassroots business selling swimming trunks and beach towels because it has a name too similar to one’s own. Sarcasm aside, many believe rapper Marshall Mathers, who’s widely known as Eminem, is being overly petty for pursuing legal action against a random Australian beachwear company Swim Shady. To be fair, it does actually roll off the tongue in a very similar manner to Eminem’s Slim Shady, but it’s clearly a different brand altogether, even if it’s a subtle play on words.
According to BBC, Eminem is going after Swim Shady and suing the company because he doesn’t want anyone to think he has a “false association” with the beachwear. Yet, Swim Shady stands strong against the rapper’s accusation, stating that it will “defend our valuable intellectual property” and that it “was born out of a desire to produce stylish and effective sun shades and other items to protect from the harsh Australian sun,” unrelated to Slim Shady.
Also, it’s important to mention for the court case that Eminem filed for his Slim Shady trademark in Australia in January 2025. That’s well over a year after Swim Shady trademarked its name in September 2023, with the official launch of the business being in 2024. That said, one could say that The Real Slim Shady has but a “slim” chance to win this lawsuit. That is, unless he’s able to produce evidence that the beachwear company is actually using his name to make a profit. Still, the fact that he’s suing the Australian company in the first place could affect his image negatively.
“Thank god M&Ms never felt that way lol,” joked one individual on Reddit. “This is a thinner stretch than my Swim Shady bananathong,” laughed another. “I like M&M, but this is so petty,” added a third, A few, however, did argue that Eminem’s thoughts about trademark infringement could be credible, considering how similar the names sound. This isn’t the first time Eminem has pursued legal action against a company, either.
Many will recall that, earlier this year, the rapper filed a lawsuit against Meta, claiming that the company has been using his music without a proper license. That said, only time will tell if Eminem will be able to come out on top with either of these lawsuits. One thing is for sure: Mathers really takes his IP and trademarks seriously and won’t let a megacorp or a beachwear company mess with him.
