All sales and downloads of Notorious BIG's classic 1994 album Ready to Die have been banned after a judge ruled that Bad Boy entertainment had illegally used a sample.

The ban, which includes a halt on all radio play, was ordered after funk group the Ohio Players claimed that album producer P Diddy had illegally used a sample of their 1992 song Singing in the Morning.

The courts agreed and ordered Bad Boy Entertainment to pay $4.2 million (£2.3 million) to Bridgeport Music and Westbound Records, who own the rights to the song.

The litigious Bridgeport Music and Westbound Records have filed hundreds of lawsuits in recent years over unauthorised sampling of their records by hip hop producers.

Bad Boy has said that it will fight the case. "We think (the verdict) is without merit," lawyer Jay Bowen told the BBC after the ruling. The company is lodging an appeal.

Ready to Die and follow up album Life After Death have sold around eight million copies in the US alone.