By Tai Saint Louis
Two Block Entertainment producers have filed a joint lawsuit against the Atlanta-based label, citing the breach of several contracts and a failure to pay royalties on the label’s part.
The suit was filed in Atlanta by Dee Jay Dana, born Dana Ramey, and Flawda Water, born Lester Purnell, on Tuesday.
The pair claim that Block Entertainment, LLC fraudulently entered both producers into an agreement with EMI April Music by forging their signatures in a 2006 agreement between the companies.
The plaintiffs claim to have each entered into an “In House Producer Agreement” with Block Ent, with Ramey signing his agreement in April 2006, and Purnell following suit in July of the same year.
Under the agreement, both producers were to obtain rights on the music they received as well as royalties on the sale of those recordings.
Both claim they never received what was promised under the contracts, despite having fulfilled their specified duties.
The lawsuit further claims that the “In House Producer agreements” signed by both Ramey and Purnell were instrumental in Block Entertainment securing a deal with EMI April Music, Inc. in July 2006.
The deal also transferred both beatmakers’ rights to EMI, a transfer they claim was made possible because they claim their signatures were forged on the documents.
Furthermore, the two claim that the deal bound them to EMI “for a period that has hindered their ability to continue working as music producers.”
The court documents also bring into question agreements signed by each producer for specific songs produced in 2006 and 2007 for Block Entertainment artists, stating that not only have the producers failed to receive the royalties due for their work, they also failed to receive full advance payment for the recordings.
Ramey produced “New Joc City” and “Flip Flop” for Yung Joc’s 2006 debut.
Between 2006 and 2007, he also produced two songs on Gorilla Zoe’s debut Welcome to the Zoo, including the album’s lead single “Hood Figga,” and the bulk of Boyz N Da Hood’s sophomore effort Back Up n Da Chevy, including the lead single “Everybody Know Me.”
Pursuant to the agreements signed for each song, Ramey was to have received a total of $82,500 in advances, plus the applicable royalties yielded from the sale of those projects.
To date, however, Ramey claims to have only received $41,250, or half of the advances due on each song.
Purnell, who produced the song “I Know” from Welcome to the Zoo, stated he has only received $2500 of the $5000 advance stipulated in his contract, with no royalty payments received.
The two producers have requested a trial by jury and a judgment that would cover their back owed monies and legal fees.
They are also seeking punitive damages against Block Entertainment in connection to the alleged fraud perpetrated in the negations with EMI.
Both Block Entertainment founder and CEO Russell “Block” Spencer and label president Rico Brooks declined AllHipHop.com’s request for comment.