John Legend Negotiated Deal to Secure Stage Name Rights

John Legend struck a legal pact with Johnny Legend to claim his stage name. He spilled these details, which aired Sunday on MGM+.

The performer, born John Roger Stephens, hit a snag. His lawyer warned him about trademark troubles before he could use the name in his work. Research revealed Johnny Legend — real name Martin Margulies — had already claimed something similar and made rockabilly tunes.

"We had to find Johnny Legend, negotiate with him, cut a mutually exclusive deal stating that he was Johnny Legend, and I was John Legend," the 46-year-old said on the show, per Yahoo Entertainment. "He wouldn't sue me. I wouldn't sue him. He wouldn't try to get into the soul music business pretending to be John Legend."

No cash switched hands. Both parties pledged to stay in their own lanes and avoid stepping on each other's toes.

"I'm happy to make clear that I kept my side of the agreement," he said. 

Johnny Legend's IMDb profile paints him as a modern-day Renaissance man. He acted, directed, sang rockabilly, studied trash films, managed wrestlers, and promoted shows. His work spanned recording tracks for Ronny Weiser's Rollin' Rock Records to co-writing "Pencil Neck Geek" in 1977.

The GRAMMY winner joined West's record label GOOD Music in May 2004. That December, he dropped his debut album Get Lifted on his 26th birthday.

"And you know what? It really did feel like a new birth," he said.