Jermaine Dupri Sues Sony for $18 Million in Unpaid Royalties

Jermaine Dupri is taking Sony Music Entertainment to court over what he calls a “systemic pattern” of underpaying royalties spanning more than three decades. The legendary producer and his label, So-So Def Recordings, filed a lawsuit in Manhattan federal court on July 6, seeking at least $18 million in damages for unpaid royalties tied to some of the biggest names in music. According to the filing, Sony’s dealings with So-So Def “have not been lawful and have harmed So-So Def in its business”.

 The lawsuit names a long list of artists whose projects allegedly generated unpaid royalties, including Mariah Carey, Usher, Kris Kross, Xscape, Da Brat, Bow Wow, and Jagged Edge. Dupri claims Sony never reported producer royalties for Kris Kross’s first two albums, including their iconic smash “Jump”, and says he is owed more than $2.2 million from those tracks alone. The label allegedly concealed those earnings in a separate accounting system unknown to Dupri for over 20 years.

Dupri further accuses Sony of using “bookkeeping trickery,” such as improperly cross-collateralizing unrecouped account balances to avoid payouts. He points to Xscape as a glaring example, arguing that despite the group’s platinum-selling albums, Sony still claims the act has more than $1.5 million in unrecouped advances decades later. The lawsuit also claims Sony underreported more than $960,000 in producer royalties for Xscape’s debut and over $1 million for Da Brat’s debut.

 Dupri says the issues didn’t come to light until 2023, when Sony began issuing amended royalty statements. A 2025 desk audit by Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman allegedly uncovered the accounting irregularities. The lawsuit claims that So-So Def’s production work generated over $200 million in gross revenue over the decades, yet Sony knowingly violated its contractual obligations. Dupri is seeking a jury trial, at least $18 million in damages, plus more than $10 million in interest and attorneys’ fees.