Outkast Sues Producer Ovrkast, Citing Broken Name-Change Agreement

Outkast has taken legal action against Ovrkast, the Oakland-based producer born Silas Wilson, over a stage name the Atlanta duo claims is too close to its own. The 31-page complaint, filed in federal court in Georgia by Outkast’s trademark holding company High Schoolers, alleges trademark infringement, unfair competition, and breach of contract.

The filing points to Outkast’s position in hip-hop since 1993—six Grammy Awards and more than 25 million records sold—and argues that Wilson chose the name Ovrkast “to trade upon the tremendous fame and goodwill” of the Atlanta group. Wilson, who has production credits for Drake and Earl Sweatshirt, told Rolling Stone in a 2025 interview that the confusion over his name was unwelcome. “I wasn’t even thinking about Outkast,” he said.

The lawsuit’s sharper claim is procedural: Outkast says its lawyers contacted Wilson in June 2025 and the two sides reached an agreement. Wilson would change his stage name to Overkxst and stop using Ovrkast across streaming, social media, merchandise, and other platforms. The deadline was later moved to July 15, 2026. According to the complaint, Wilson then “renege[d]” on that deal and proposed alternate names that had already been rejected.

Outkast now seeks a permanent injunction barring Wilson from using Ovrkast. Neither Big Boi nor André 3000 responded to requests for comment. Wilson could not be reached.