2 Chainz faces $10m legal showdown with Pablo Escobar’s family over name of his Atlanta restaurants

2 Chainz is being sued for $10 million by Escobar Inc., a company representing Pablo Escobar’s family over the name of his Atlanta restaurants Escobar Restaurant and Tapas, and the related merchandising efforts behind them.

Escobar Inc., which is representing relatives of the late drug lord, said in court docs that the Rule the World rapper had no permission to use or market the family name for his two Atlanta-based eateries, TMZ reported Wednesday.

Escobar Inc. told the court that the recording artist, whose real name is Tauheed Epps, is breaking federal legal statutes in using Escobar’s name and likeness to profit for his own business, while not compensating them.

Beyond the restaurants themselves, Escobar Inc. noted that the rapper has marketed apparel, a website and social media pages using the name.

In addition, Escobar’s image is painted on the wall of one of the establishments, and a menu item is named Escobar Crab Cakes, the company told the court.

The company is asking the court to force the rapper to stop using the name, and pay out at least $10 million in damages.

The rapper co-owns the establishments with business partner Mychel ‘Snoop’ Dillard.

The Georgia Department of Public Safety last month closed one of the establishments, located in Castleberry Hill, after multiple violations of coronavirus rules enacted by the state, which was the first to reopen from the lockdown, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 

The restaurant was first issued a warning over the violations May 24, according to the paper, with specific issues including a lack of social distancing among patrons and going over the guideline of 10 patrons for every 300 square feet. Officials checking on the establishment later in the day were displeased with the violations, and shut it down, the paper reported. 

It’s since reopened, according to its social media.