If you’ve ever seen the name Ovrkast, you probably thought you were reading the word Outkast for a second. The Bay Area rapper and producer, born Silas Wilson, has chosen a stage name that’s radically similar to one of the most popular hip-hop groups of all time. They’ve noticed.
Outkast have sued Ovrkast for trademark infringement, KQED reports. The suit was filed Sept. 16 in federal court in Georgia. According to court documents, Andre 3000 (André Benjamin) and Big Boi (Antwan Patton) first sent Ovrkast a cease-and-desist in June 2025, after which he allegedly agreed to change his stage name to Overkxst by July 15, 2026. As part of the agreement, he was to stop using the name Ovrkast on social media, streaming platforms, merchandise, and in all other commercial capacities.
The suit asserts that the Ovrkast name is 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.” One piece of evidence cited in the lawsuit is a 2025 Rolling Stone interview in which Ovrkast laments that people often confuse him for Outkast. Outkast are demanding a jury trial.
On his Instagram account, Ovrkast shared a screenshot of AllHipHop’s story about the lawsuit with the caption “I thought it was love? @andre3000 @bigboi (yes this is real).” In the comments, he added, “I’m jus a young black man trying to get ahead.”
Outkast are serious about protecting their brand. Two years ago they sued the EDM duo ATLiens, whose band name was taken from Outkast’s 1996 sophomore album. The suit was settled out of court.
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