Jermaine Dupri has withdrawn a United States lawsuit against Sony Music Entertainment (SME) that alleged $18 million in unpaid royalties tied to albums by Mariah Carey, Usher and other artists. The voluntary dismissal, filed Friday (Aug. 28), ends the case less than two months after it began, while leaving the door open to refile.
Background of the dispute#
Dupri and his label So-So Def Recordings sued Sony in July, accusing the company of a “systemic pattern” of using “contemptuous accounting practices” to underpay royalties over many years. The producer, known for writing and producing Kris Kross’s 1992 single “Jump,” has also worked with Carey, Usher, Nelly and others.
Dupri founded So-So Def in 1993 as a joint venture with Columbia Records and Sony. The label later signed Xscape, Bow Wow and Da Brat, among others. That partnership ended in 2002, and So-So Def subsequently moved through distributors including EMI and Universal Music Group (UMG).
Claims in the lawsuit#
In the July filing, Dupri said that over a “32-year contractual and business relationship,” Sony had repeatedly failed to pay proper royalties to him and his company. He added: “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.”
- More than $2 million allegedly owed for Kris Kross’s first two albums, including Totally Krossed Out, which featured “Jump.”
- Sony was accused of using bookkeeping trickery to maintain unrecouped advances on other music.
Dupri also released two studio albums of his own, featuring collaborations with Jay-Z and Ludacris. He is the son of former Columbia Records executive Michael Mauldin.
Dismissal terms#
Attorneys for Dupri moved Friday to voluntarily dismiss the case, telling the judge they had “resolved the matter.” The filing did not include a written explanation. An attorney for Dupri did not return a request for comment, and a Sony spokesperson declined to comment.
The dismissal was filed “without prejudice,” meaning Dupri could theoretically refile the claims at a later date.
