In September 2026, Outkast, operating through their trademark entity High Schoolers LLC, filed a federal lawsuit in Georgia against Oakland rapper and producerSilas Wilson, who performs under the moniker Ovrkast.
The complaint accuses Wilson of trademark infringement, unfair competition, and breach of contract, alleging that his stage name is “nearly identical” to the iconic group’s trademark and deliberately designed to trade on their decades of established goodwill. Beyond phonetic similarity, the suit emphasizes a past media interview where Wilson acknowledged that listeners frequently mistake his name for Outkast, which the group’s legal team presented as clear evidence of consumer confusion in the marketplace.
“The public has been led to falsely believe that an association exists between Plaintiff and Defendant,” the complaint said. “Defendant’s conduct was and is knowing, deliberate, willful, and in bad faith and done with the intent to trade on the goodwill and reputation of Plaintiff.”
The dispute stems from a broken private settlement rather than a sudden legal strike. Outkast claims the two parties previously reached an agreement requiring Wilson to phase out the Ovrkast handle and transition to the stylized alternative “Overkxst” by mid-July 2026. However, the lawsuit alleges that Wilson repeatedly delayed executing the final paperwork, attempted to propose unapproved replacement names, and ultimately continued releasing music and merchandise under the original title. Outkast is now asking a federal judge to permanently bar Wilson from using the name, order the destruction of all branded inventory, and award monetary damages.
East Oakland rapper and producer Silas Wilson, known as Ovrkast., broke out in 2019 by producing Earl Sweatshirt’s “El Toro Combo Meal” before earning critical acclaim for his 2020 debut mixtape, Try Again. Known for his lo-fi, soulful sound, Wilson further elevated his profile with production credits on Drake’s 2023 Scary Hours project and his collaborative EP KastGotWings with Cardo.