When we look at powerhouse record labels in hip-hop and R&B, So So Def certainly comes to mind. Jermaine Dupri established one of the most pivotal labels in the record industry in the early 90s, releasing records from Bow Wow, Xscape, Kriss Kross, and more.
The label entered an agreement with Sony Music Entertainment in May 1992, but since then, Jermaine Dupri claims that they haven’t properly paid out his royalties. According to Variety, Dupri filed a lawsuit against SME, accusing them of misconduct. He said that he first suspected that he didn’t receive full royalty payments from the company three years ago.
Attorneys for the producer claim SME practiced “willful deceitful actions designed to harm Plaintiffs in their business” through underreporting royalties and updating them retroactively, which impacted So-So Def.
The lawsuit outlines So-So Def’s dealings with SME before its 2002 buy-out. So-So Def initially signed a label agreement with Sony for releases from their artists before entering a joint venture deal in 1997. After its buy-out, So So Def went on to release albums from Bow Wow and Jagged Edge through deals with other companies including Artista, UMG and EMI.
Jermaine Dupri Outlines Millions In Unpaid Royalties
The lawsuit provides a lengthy look at the royalties allegedly owed to Dupri from Sony Music Entertainment. This includes over $1 million in unpaid producer royalties for Da Brat’s “Funkdafied” and another $960,000 for Xscape’s “Hummin’ Comin’ At ‘Cha.” In addition to that, there’s the alleged underreported royalties connected to albums from Mariah Carey, Bow Wow, Usher, J-Kwon, and more. Plus, Dupri claims that he’s owed $10 million in interest for unpaid royalties connected to other artists that he worked with.
We will keep you posted on any updates surrounding Jermaine Dupri’s lawsuit against Sony Music Entertainment. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
