A rift has opened
between Snoop Dogg and his one time protege’s, Tha Eastsidaz. According to the
group, Snoop never paid the group royalties on two platinum selling records.
The group alleges
that after they hired accounting firm Moss Adams LLP, the same accounting firm
that Snoop uses, they discovered that they were owed in excess of $1 million
dollars.
"I won’t allow
nobody to take my hard earned money," Big Tray Dee said. "If you want
to take something, let’s go head up and winner take all."
The group said
that they were given a royalty rate of 2 percent and when they confronted Snoop
about the unpaid money, he allegedly claimed that no money was made on their
self titled debut and the follow up, Duces ‘N’ Trayz…The Old Fashioned Way.
After the audit,
The Eastsidaz allege they found that Snoop had charged them $142,000 for two
gold chains worn during the "G’d Up" music video.
The group claims
the chains were gifts and that ten other people were given chains as well.
On August 6, 2001,
Tray Deee wrote a letter asking for the unpaid royalties. He said that he received
a response from the law firm of Leibowitz, Roberts & Ritholz, stating that
all of the royalties were given to Snoop Dogg.
In November of
2001, The Eastsidaz and their manager Terry Carter met with Snoop at his Dogg
House Studio.
During the meeting
the group alleges that they explained to Snoop how they trusted him and that
Snoop himself had been cheated out of royalties while working for Death Row
Records.
Tray Dee maintains
that Snoop agreed to give Tha Eastsidaz their own record label to release their
third album through TVT Records and that Snoop would contribute three songs
to the album at no cost.
The Eastsidaz say
that they are still waiting for Snoop and claim that his silence is "an
attempt to sabotage Tha Eastsidaz project."
Earlier this month
the group says Tray Dee went to Snoop’s house to return the gold chains and
to again ask for the back royalties.
According to the
group, security was alerted and Snoop "ran out the back door, hopped the
fence, fell, busted his lip and ran into the mountains. The security guards
opened fire on Tray Deee and left the premises before police could arrive, leaving
Snoop alone on the mountain."
"Let’s show
the fans who you really are," Tray Dee continued. "Quit running like
a coward behind your
security."
