Jermaine Dupri Sues Sony Music Over Unpaid Royalties

Jermaine Dupri has filed an $18 million lawsuit against Sony Music for unpaid royalties dating back to the 1990s, involving major artists like Mariah Carey.

Jermaine Dupri has filed an $18 million lawsuit against Sony Music Entertainment, alleging the company failed to pay royalties for records released by popular artists including Mariah Carey, Usher, and Xscape. Dupri’s legal action comes in the wake of concerns that he had not received full compensation, with suspicions first arising in 2023.

The lawsuit, filed on a recent Monday, claims that Sony Music has not operated “lawfully” in their financial dealings with Dupri since May 1992, when his So-So Def Entertainment imprint entered an agreement with the label. This legal demand is comprehensive and includes a history of unpaid royalties involving a variety of projects and artists associated with Dupri’s label.

Dupri’s representatives have laid out a detailed accounting of the alleged unpaid amounts in the suit. For instance, he claims he is owed $960,000 in unpaid producer royalties for Xscape’s “Hummin’ Comin’ At ‘Cha” and more than $1 million for Da Brat’s “Funkdafied.” Furthermore, there are claims of understated royalties connected to albums released by well-known artists such as Carey, Bow Wow, Usher, J-Kwon, and Dupri himself.

Significantly, the suit asserts that Dupri is entitled to over $10 million in interest payments related to unpaid royalties tied to multiple artists, including Kris Kross, Da Brat, and Xscape.

In light of these allegations, Dupri is seeking a minimum of $18 million along with interest and attorney fees determined through a jury trial. No comments have been released from a representative of Sony Music in response to the lawsuit at this time.