Hip Hop & IP- two of my favourite subjects

As a fan of early 90s hip hop, I have noticed over the years that the pioneers of this art form are acutely aware of the power of their brands and their ability to generate revenue streams via a myriad of uses. 

It's no surprise to see that Snoop Dogg has recently filed a US trade mark application to register the term SNOOP DOGGS for hot dogs. Snoop Dogg also owns registrations for the terms SNOOP DOGGIE DOGGS, for a range of pet products; SNOOP YOUTH FOOTBALL LEAGUE, for an American Football youth program; and SNOOP JUICE, for a range of non-alcoholic beverages.

It is clear that these registrations are intended to maximise the value of his name. However the registrations also put him in the best possible position to prevent third party use of his name, so perhaps there also is some strategic pre-empting of how third parties could seek to free ride off his reputation via trade mark use in future. 

If you are a performer in the creative space and your name is well known, it is certainly sensible to give thought to expanding the scope of your trade mark registrations beyond the core goods and services that you offer as a performer. 

I wonder if Wu-Tang Scran and Piggie Smalls are also registered trade marks...