Music Biz: Singer Brandy sues her Record label for $1 Million for double dipping.
Story appeared on CourtHouse News
LOS ANGELES (CN) – Pop singer Brandy sued her record label for $1 million Tuesday, claiming it refuses to let her record or release an album, to “bully” her into signing a contract that will let Chameleon Entertainment double dip at her expense.
Brandy Norwood sued New York-based Chameleon Entertainment and its owner-CEO Breyon Prescott in Superior Court.
She claims Prescott, who also works for Epic Records, is trying to double dip: force her to sign with Epic and release her records through Chameleon, so he can profit twice.
She demands $1 million in compensatory damages, plus punitive damages, for intentional interference with contract, interference with business relations, and business law violations.
Norwood, 37, claims that Chameleon is contractually obligated to record and release her albums but refuses to do so unless she signs a “terrible deal.”
She says Prescott is doing this in “a blatantly unlawful attempt to bully Norwood into signing a new recording and distribution agreement containing terms far worse than her current agreement. Defendants have made clear through their actions and words that, unless Norwood capitulates and signs this terrible deal, she will remain ‘trapped’ with a label that won’t let her record or release music.”
Represented by Allen Grodsky, Norwood says Prescott’s “outrageous actions are based on nothing more than greed.”
“Prescott owns and operates defendant Chameleon and is employed full time by Epic Records and head of urban A&R,” the complaint states. “The new recording and distribution deal that he is trying to force Norwood to sign is with Epic, which allows him to ‘double dip’: if Prescott can force Norwood to sign the new deal, he will profit both as an owner of Chameleon and through bonuses and other benefits he will get from Epic.”
Given this “despicable conduct,” she says in the complaint, she has “every right to terminate, and has now terminated, her recording contract with defendants.”
Grodsky is with Grodsky & Olecki, in Santa Monica, whose office was not open early Wednesday when this article went to press.
