Rita Ora filed a lawsuit against Jay Z and Roc Nation for lack of label support for her career
The singer cites California’s “Seven Year Rule” in her case against Jay Z’s company.
Rita Ora filed a lawsuit today (December 17) against Jay Z and Roc Nation because of their lack of support for her career, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The singer is citing California’s “Seven Year Rule” based upon California Labor Code §2855, which artists including Olivia Newton-John and Thirty Seconds to Mars have used to confront labels.
Ora is saying that when she signed with Roc Nation in 2008, she was 18 years old and felt the full support of the label. As time has gone on, Jay Z has expanded Roc Nation into a sports agency and has launched the TIDAL streaming service.
“When Rita signed, Roc Nation and its senior executives were very involved with her as an artist,” the court papers say. “As Roc Nation’s interests diversified, there were fewer resources available and the company suffered a revolving door of executives. Rita’s remaining supporters at the label left or moved on to other activities, to the point where she no longer had a relationship with anyone at the company.”
The Southpaw actress also says that when Roc Nation switched distribution partners from Sony to Universal in 2013, she was not included in the deal.
“Between Sony’s limited economic return from its orphaned relationship with Roc Nation and Sony’s indirect relationship with Rita, Rita is caught in a political quagmire of dysfunction,” the documents say.
She is demanding release from the label so that she can continue to make music and further her personal brand.
