Jermaine Dupri Sues Sony Music Entertainment For $18M, Alleges So So Def Was Shorted Royalties For Decades

Jermaine Dupri Sues Sony Music Entertainment For $18M, Alleges So So Def Was Shorted Royalties For Decades

Music mogul and producer Jermaine Dupri is taking Sony Music Entertainment to court, claiming the company owes millions in unpaid royalties tied to some of So So Def’s biggest releases.

According to AllHipHop, Dupri, along with So So Def Recordings and So So Def Productions, filed a lawsuit in Manhattan federal court on Monday (July 6), alleging Sony underpaid the label by more than $18 million over the course of their decades-long business relationship.

The complaint alleges Sony underreported royalties, failed to report certain royalty payments altogether, and even altered older royalty statements after questions were raised about missing funds. The lawsuit involves recordings from a number of So So Def artists, including Xscape, Da Brat, Kris Kross, Jagged Edge, Bow Wow, Bone Crusher, J-Kwon, as well as projects involving Usher and Mariah Carey.

“As it turns out, many of SME’s dealings with So So Def have not been lawful and have harmed So So Def in its business,” the complaint states, according to the filing. Dupri and his companies are seeking at least $18 million in damages, along with additional relief to be determined by the court.

Sony has not publicly responded to the lawsuit as of publication. The legal dispute marks the latest chapter in the longtime business relationship between the music giant and So So Def, the Atlanta-based label Jermaine Dupri founded in 1993 that helped launch the careers of numerous R&B and hip-hop stars.