Music producer and executive Jermaine Dupri has sued Sony Music Entertainment for $18 million. He claims the company failed to properly pay royalties for releases by Mariah Carey, Usher, Xscape, Kris Kross, and other artists.

The lawsuit was filed on Monday and reviewed by Variety. Dupri alleges that Sony Music did not fully pay royalties owed to him and his So So Def Entertainment label. The dispute dates back to May 1992, when the two parties first signed a business agreement.

Alleged Royalty Misreporting

According to the lawsuit, Dupri began questioning royalty payments in 2023. He later discovered what his legal team describes as a pattern of underreported royalties.

The suit claims Sony Music retroactively changed statements showing previously earned royalties. Dupri’s attorneys also accuse the company of engaging in “unlawful” dealings.

The filing further alleges that Sony Music carried out “willful deceitful actions designed to harm Plaintiffs in their business.” The attorneys claim that several So So Def royalty accounts were affected by the alleged misreporting.

A representative for Sony Music told Variety that the company had no comment on the lawsuit.

Long-Running Business Relationship

The lawsuit outlines the history between So So Def and Sony Music. Their partnership began in 1992 with releases from artists such as Xscape, Whodini and Neena.

In 1997, So So Def entered a joint venture agreement with Sony Music. The arrangement ended with a buyout in 2002. Dupri later signed distribution deals with Arista, Universal Music Group and EMI.

Millions in Unpaid Royalties Claimed

The complaint lists several alleged royalty shortfalls. It claims Dupri is owed $960,000 in producer royalties for Xscape’s “Hummin’ Comin’ At ‘Cha.” It also alleges that more than $1 million remains unpaid for Da Brat’s “Funkdafied.”

The lawsuit further claims that royalties were understated for projects involving Mariah Carey, Bow Wow, Usher, J-Kwon, Dupri and Bone Crusher.

Dupri says he is owed more than $10 million in interest tied to unpaid royalties involving Xscape, Kris Kross, Da Brat and others