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Jermaine Dupri, the renowned hip-hop producer and founder of So So Def Recordings, has filed a lawsuit against Sony Music Entertainment, claiming over $18 million in unpaid royalties. The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan federal court on Monday (July 6), accuses Sony of failing to pay proper royalties for several major R&B and rap artists, including Xscape, Da Brat, Kris Kross, Jagged Edge, Usher, Mariah Carey, Bow Wow, J-Kwon, and Bone Crusher.
The complaint describes a 32-year business relationship that has soured, with Dupri's side alleging that Sony's accounting errors were not minor. According to AllHipHop, the lawsuit claims Sony underreported royalties, failed to report others entirely, and altered old statements when questions about the money arose.
Particularly sharp are the claims regarding Kris Kross. Dupri alleges that Sony never reported producer or override royalties for Kris Kross' first two albums, 'Totally Krossed Out' and 'Da Bomb', until 2023, with more than $2.2 million owed from those albums alone. The lawsuit also accuses Sony of underreporting royalties from Xscape's 1993 album 'Hummin’ Comin’ At ‘Cha' and withholding over $1 million from Da Brat's 1994 album 'Funkdafied'.
This legal battle is the latest in a series of financial challenges for Dupri. According to Billboard, Dupri has faced multiple lawsuits over the years, including a $1.9 million suit by SunTrust Banks for defaulting on a loan. Additionally, HotNewHipHop reported a lawsuit from a former business partner over unpaid royalties.