Rapper Said to Break Deal to Sign With Def Jam

MIAMI (CN) - Hip Hop artist August Alsina breached a management contract after securing a $3 million record deal with Def Jam recordings and Universal Music Group, the management firm claims in court.

In a complaint filed in Miami-Dade County, Dynasty Management says that on September 3, 2009, Sheila Sanders, Alsina's mother, signed an Exclusive Artist Management agreement with them on behalf of her son for a minimum term of one year.

Dynasty claims that by consenting to the contract, Alsina gave its company "the exclusive ownership of all right, title and interest throughout the universe in and to the results and proceeds of Alsina's works created during the duration of the management contract."

The complaint states that Dynasty was entitled to 15 percent of all the profits earned by Alsina.

in addition, Dynasty says it invested a large amount of money and time to help Alsina record his music, cultivate his image, travel expenses, and to promote two musical recordings.

"One of those recordings was mixed and edited to serve as a single for Alsina and to be utilized by manager to help secure a record contract and monetary benefits for Alsina," the complaint says.

The complaint says Dynasty selected the single "That Boy" to promote the rapper among record labels such as Def Jam, Interscope and Baluga Heights.

Dynasty says that on October 23, 2009, just a few days after Alsina stopped responding to its calls, texts and emails his mom informed the company that he had "run away" from home.

Sometime after his disappearance Dynasty claims that the New Orleans crooner entered into a new management agreement with Donald Albright and Henry Lee from Noontime, and they locked a $3 million record deal with Def Jam.

"Alsina's breach prevented manager from being able to profit from Alsina's sound recordings, advances, merchandise, live performances and concerts," the complaint says.

The complaint alleges that on November 6, 2013, Dynasty signed Alexander, the producer and writer of "That Boy," to re-record and exploit the single.

The song was re-recorded by their new artist Carlson Pierre, together with Marc Arthur Geffard pka Zoe Budha, and was renamed "I'm That Boy." But Alsina's vocals were left in the chorus.

Dynasty claims that on April 22, it entered into a "binding distribution agreement" with Ditto Music Ltd. to distribute the recording on various channels such as iTunes and Spotify.

The single became a hit in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, Switzerland and in several other countries, and within two days of its release the song received over 11,000 streams on Spotify, Dynasty states.

Then on May 21, Dynasty says, Ditto received a "Cease and Desist letter" from Def Jam's and Universal Music Group's attorney, Lynn Gonzalez, "threatening Ditto that if they continued to distribute the recording, that Def Jam and UMG would sue them, and Ditto would be liable for compensatory and treble damages, interest and attorneys' fees under the Lanham Act."

Dynasty says it provided Ditto Music the licensing agreement between its company and Alexander, which proved its right to use and distribute the song, but the music distribution company still removed the single from iTunes and Spotify.

Dynasty claims that Def Jam and Universal threatened them to increase their profits in the sale of Alsina's albums entitled "Testimony" and "Downtown: Life Under the Gun," and to induce Ditto Music to cancel the distribution of the single.

Dynasty Management seeks compensatory damages for breach of contract, tortious interference and unjust enrichment.

It's represented by Andrew Williams of The Williams Law Group in Miami, Fla.

Universal and its attorney, Lynn Gonzalez, and Alsina's attorney, Donald Woodard, did not respond to a request for comment.

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