Kanye West Sues Over Unreleased Songs
Posted by Michael Melchor on 08.31.2005
Chicago DJ hit with cease-and-desist order
On the heels of his new album, Late Registration, Kanye West filed a lawsuit to stop release of masters he recorded as a Chicago teenager in 1995.
The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Chicago, claims that Eric "E-Smoove" Miller and his Focus Music Group used a forged recording agreement to try landing distribution deals for nine unreleased tracks written and performed by West.
According to the suit, Miller approached John Galt Entertainment in Nashville (among others) to distribute the tracks, which he helped West record. He asked Galt for a $450,000 advance.
Miller started soliciting distribution for the early songs shortly after West landed 10 Grammy nominations earlier this year for his debut album, The College Dropout.
Galt's representative contacted West's lawyer to verify West's permission in the recording agreement to release the tracks. West claims he never had any written or oral contract with Miller and refused to okay release of the music.
After several communications between various representatives for the parties, the complaint alleges, a lawyer for Miller claimed that the defendants did not need permission to release the masters.
West is suing for violation of his publicity, privacy and trademark rights among other claims. He asks the court to void the fraudulent recording agreement and award $100,000 in general damages and at least $200,000 in punitive damages.
