Eminem sues NZ political party over ad music

Eminem is taking New Zealand's ruling political party to court after claiming they used his music in a TV advert without permission.

The rapper accused the National Party of using an unlicensed version of his hit song Lose Yourself in a 2014 campaign video.

Eminem's lawyer Garry Williams said the party breached copyright of a song owned by Eight Mile Style, Eminem's publisher.

Calling the song "iconic", Williams told the High Court in Wellington that rights to the work were "enormously valuable", since it had won two Academy Awards and two Grammys.

The campaign director for the National Party - led by Prime Minister Bill English - dismissed Eminem's claim when the row first erupted in 2014.

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