EXCLUSIVE: Kiotti Brown Keeps On The Radar Trademark Fight In Houston

Kiotti Brown kept his trademark fight with On The Radar Productions LLC in Houston after a federal judge rejected the New York company’s request to dismiss the case on venue.

Judge Andrew S. Hanen ruled that the company’s Houston recording stop gave the court authority to hear Brown’s claims. The order also rejected its argument that Houston was the wrong venue.

The Houston rapper and media personality, also known as “Radio Boss,” accused the company of infringing his “On tha Radar” trademark. His lawsuit alleges that the competing name confused audiences, cost him listeners and customers and hurt his revenue and reputation.

Brown alleged that he began using “ON THE RADAR” and “ON THA RADAR” in 2016 for radio, podcasts, video programming and live entertainment.

He applied to register “ON THA RADAR” in June 2021 and received the federal registration on October 31, 2023. On The Radar claimed it began using its name in 2018.

The company traveled to Houston in December 2023 for a recording run that became central to Judge Hanen’s decision.

“To produce this content, OTR spent four days recording content with 75 artists at a Houston establishment known as The Closet,” Judge Hanen wrote.

Its crew used an “ON THE RADAR” neon sign and promoted the resulting series as a Houston edition. The sessions produced 75 long-form YouTube videos and 76 YouTube Shorts, according to the order. Brown asserted that at least 35 of the featured artists were based in Houston.

The name dispute escalated when On The Radar asked the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board to cancel Brown’s registration on August 1, 2025. Brown answered that petition the following month and filed this federal lawsuit on May 14, 2026.

On The Radar argued that it had no Texas office, property or employees. It also pointed to the absence of contracts with the artists or The Closet, merchandise sales and local sponsors. The company maintained that any relevant infringement occurred when it published the material in New York.

Judge Hanen focused on the work the company did inside Houston and its use of the disputed name there.

“It is sufficient to acknowledge that Plaintiff is alleging harm as a result of OTR’s use of the mark in its activities and that these activities occurred in Houston and directly targeted at the city of Houston, regardless of whether it was later published to a globally-accessible internet market,” Judge Hanen wrote.

The company contended that both sides had used their names peacefully until 2025 without confusion. Brown alleged that their overlapping use in Houston damaged his business. Judge Hanen found enough connection between the Houston sessions and Brown’s claims for the suit to proceed there.

“Thus, Plaintiff’s claim for trademark infringement at the very least relates to OTR’s use of the mark as it did in Texas,” the order stated.

On The Radar also argued that its witnesses and discovery materials were in New York. Judge Hanen weighed that burden against Brown’s interest in suing where the alleged business harm occurred.

“While it may be a burden on OTR to litigate this claim in Texas rather than in its home state of New York, that burden does not outweigh the other factors, all of which favor allowing Plaintiff’s claim to proceed in Texas,” Judge Hanen wrote.

The same Houston stop supported keeping the case in the Southern District of Texas.

“For the foregoing reasons, venue is appropriate as OTR’s Houston-leg of the multi-city tour at least in part gave rise to the claim at issue,” Judge Hanen concluded.