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Knievel and Kanye Bury the Hatchet

AP / AOL

Posted: 2007-11-27 18:42:40

TAMPA, Fla. (Nov. 27) - How did daredevil Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel and rapper Kanye West resolve their differences? A good old-fashioned sitdown.

The 69-year-old iconic motorcycle daredevil said he and West met at his Clearwater condo recently. They settled a federal lawsuit over the use of Knievel's trademarked image in a popular West music video.

Kanye's 'Touch the Sky'

Knievel's Snake River Stunt

Knievel sued West and his record company last year. He took issue with a 2006 music video for the song "Touch the Sky," in which the rapper takes on the persona of "Evel Kanyevel" and tries to jump a rocket-powered motorcycle over a canyon.

At the time the lawsuit was filed, Knievel's attorney, Richard Fee, told MTV that his client did not consider the video an homage, but "more as a rip-off."

Knievel failed in his attempt to jump the Snake River Canyon in Idaho in 1974.

West's attorneys argued the video amounted to satire, covered under the First Amendment.

"We settled the lawsuit amicably," Knievel said Tuesday. "I was very satisfied and so was he."

They agreed not to publicly discuss the terms of the settlement, he said. The two had agreed to mediation in July.

Gabriel Tesoriero, a spokesman for West, confirmed the settlement of the lawsuit, in an e-mail Tuesday.

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In the lawsuit, Knievel claimed the "vulgar and offensive" images depicted in the video damaged his reputation. And he accused the 29-year-old rapper of using the Knievel image to "promote his filth to the world."

Meeting West changed his mind, Knievel said.

"I thought he was a wonderful guy and quite a gentleman," he said.

Knievel also expressed concern for West, who is grieving the sudden death of his mother earlier this month.

"I know he's had some tough times the past few weeks, and I hope things work out," Knievel said.

2007-11-27 13:35:48

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130 comments

JectorT 10:54:58 AM Nov 29 2007

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Im guessing money has something to do with the amicability of the settlement.

JectorT 10:54:28 AM Nov 29 2007

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Im guessing money has something to do with the amicability of the settlement.

wpwaterguy8044 07:30:01 AM Nov 29 2007

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knevil is probably riding three wheelers at his age,

topgun1ice 07:10:00 AM Nov 29 2007

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Both are washed up..move on

topgun1ice 07:10:00 AM Nov 29 2007

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Both are washed up..move on

DoDaCrazy 10:36:24 PM Nov 28 2007

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This is Bull ----- wait untill I get my hands on this so- called man of ----- heheee I'm going to twist his ears off his head hey freak biker room two twit go home to da Huffington post ripeoffs were you belong and get your nasty ass hands off my shirt tail and that goes for you too AOL soon you will be on your knees for custmers because your lame ass service sucks big green horse puckys.. Hey were your star singer now ! Say are you still giving the FBI everybodys mail AOL BEST PRACTICE WHAT KIND OF BIRDS THAT DON'T FLY hint your new home jail birds! Cox Enterprises and Time Warner along with Dayton Daily News suck Sprint the worst phone service on earth even more that Time Warner is the new owners heheee spending money lets see you buy ATT. next the old saying is if you want to hurt somebody just get deep in their pockets guess what my mission tis yup your right merry ho ho to you whole stinking bunch.......Can we all say Consumer fraud lets hear it one more for tis page Consum

simplejoly101 07:58:16 PM Nov 28 2007

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ok. that is nice.

Bobbyanry 07:03:00 PM Nov 28 2007

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they are good friends now. my best friend knows them. I met him on a celebrity and millionaire dating site named searchingmillionaire.com last year.

angelah876 02:15:00 PM Nov 28 2007

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GOOD!! I like em both,people just need to TALK to each other.

dotayer 01:17:21 PM Nov 28 2007

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i liked that satire. i enjoyed watching the video. evil is no saint. i remember back in the 70's he did his own thing and pedalled his inappropriate behavior to the media often. glad they settled it like gentlemen. restores my faith in men.

SCJ625 12:24:31 PM Nov 28 2007

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Also problems in are society you've got to be S****** me i feel as though it may be a problem for young kids to listen too...but as far as it being a problem that makes up about .05% of whats wrong with our F'd up society...open your closed minds and that will account for far more damage then rap or any other music has ever done....

SCJ625 12:24:30 PM Nov 28 2007

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