Jermaine Dupri and his So So Def companies have withdrawn their $18 million royalty lawsuit against Sony Music Entertainment, ending a dispute that alleged years of underreported payments on recordings by Kris Kross, Xscape and Mariah Carey.
A notice of voluntary dismissal was filed Friday, August 28, in a New York federal court.
“the Plaintiffs voluntarily dismiss this action without prejudice as the parties have resolved the matter prior to joinder.”
Neither Dupri nor Sony has disclosed terms of the resolution. Because the dismissal was entered without prejudice, Dupri and his companies retain the option to refile the claims.
Background of the claim
The voluntary dismissal came less than two months after the initial complaint was filed. In that action, Dupri and his companies accused Sony of failing to pay and underreporting royalties on recordings by Kris Kross, Xscape, Mariah Carey and other artists.
The plaintiffs sought:
- No less than $18 million in damages
- $10 million in interest
- Attorneys’ fees
- A jury trial
Third Sony royalty case to settle this year
Dupri’s filing marks the third royalty claim against Sony to conclude by agreement this year. Lit settled its streaming royalty suit on July 7, and Los Lobos settled its claim against Sony Music and its Milan imprint on August 21.
