A fight over who helped create “m.A.A.d city” has landed one of Kendrick Lamar’s signature records in federal court more than a decade after its release. Miami rapper Milan Brewer, who performs as 1000Milan, claims producer Axel Morgan, better known as AXLFOLIE, received writing credit for material that Brewer says originated with him. Kendrick and featured artist MC Eiht are not defendants in the lawsuit.
Brewer’s case traces the disputed material to “Ridin Rollercoaster,” a song he says he wrote and recorded in April 2012. According to the complaint, his vocals and lyrics were later incorporated into the record that became “m.A.A.d city.” Brewer alleges Morgan and producer Ricci Riera used that material without giving him the same recognition Morgan ultimately received.
Current publishing information for “m.A.A.d city” lists Kendrick Lamar, Morgan, Riera, and Mark “Sounwave” Spears as composers. Brewer’s name does not appear among them. That omission is at the heart of what he is asking the court to change.
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Brewer Wants His Name Listed
Rather than simply seeking damages over an unauthorized sample, Brewer is arguing that he should be recognized as a joint author of the song. AllHipHop reports his lawsuit seeks the same writing credit Morgan received and an accounting to determine what money Brewer believes should have been paid to him from the record. He is also demanding a jury trial.
The dispute appears to have been brewing before the lawsuit reached court. Brewer’s attorneys say Morgan did not clearly reject his ownership claim until an April 2026 phone conversation involving an attorney for Riera. A follow-up email included with the filing shows Brewer’s side asking to see the existing splits for “m.A.A.d city” and questioning whether counsel could accept legal service for Morgan or Riera.
The stakes are considerable because “m.A.A.d city” has remained one of the defining records from Kendrick’s 2012 album. Brewer’s claim, however, has not been proven in court, and the lawsuit represents his account of how the song was created. If Brewer succeeds, the fight would not rewrite Kendrick’s role in the record. It would determine whether another writer should have been included alongside the people who have been collecting credit from “m.A.A.d city” since 2012.
