Grammy-winning hip-hop producer Jermaine Dupri has sued Sony Music Entertainment for breach of contract, claiming that the company’s “deceitful actions” have left him owed $18 million in unpaid royalties.
According to the July 6 document that PEOPLE was able to access, Dupri, 53, formed the label So-So Def Recordings in 1993 and helped launch the careers of musicians including Bow Wow, Xscape, Da Brat, and 3LW. Additionally, he is well-known for his collaborations with celebrities including Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Usher, Ludacris, and TLC.
According to the complaint, his So-So Def recordings and the songs he has produced have generated over $200 million in gross revenue. However, over the course of their more than 30-year business relationship, Sony has demonstrated a “systemic pattern” of underreporting and failing to report royalties, as well as changing and updating statements to report previously earned royalties.
The document claims:
“[Sony Music Entertainment] intentionally failed to account to Plaintiffs to avoid paying millions of dollars to the Plaintiffs,”
A representative for Sony did not immediately reply to PEOPLE’s request for comment, and Dupri’s lawyer declined to comment more. The case was first reported by TMZ.
According to the complaint, Dupri and his label signed a deal with Sony in 1992, and between then and 2006, the contracts were amended and changed at least seven times.
