Lil Rod (real name Rodney Jones) was attempting to sue Universal Music Group CEO Sir Lucian Grainge, Motown Records and UMG Recordings as part of his ongoing pursuit against Diddy. But it looks like case number 24-1457 is falling apart. On Monday (May 13), Lil Rod’s attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, filed the necessary paperwork to dismiss all allegations aimed at the aforementioned parties.
As the paperwork obtained by AllHipHop reads,” PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, upon the supporting Declaration of Tyrone A. Blackburn dated May 13, 2024, and all prior proceedings heretofore had and all papers filed herein, Plaintiff Rodney Jones will move this Court, at a date and time to be determined by the Court, for an Order, pursuant to Rules 15, 21 and 41 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, dismissing all claims and striking all allegations made against Lucian Charles Grainge, Motown Records, UMG Recordings, Inc. (incorrectly named as Universal Music Group) in the Second Amended Complaint with prejudice and removing Lucian Charles Grainge, Motown Records, UMG Recordings, Inc. (incorrectly named as Universal Music Group) from the caption of this action.”
As explained by Omaha defense attorney William Eustice, once the proposal is approved by a judge, the charges cannot be refiled and the case is over.
Blackburn added, “Based on my examination of all of the papers submitted in support of both motions to dismiss, which addressed the issues I had, I have concluded that there is no legal basis for the claims and allegations that were made against the UMG Defendants. As such, I have determined that the proper course of action is for all of the claims and all of the allegations to be withdrawn immediately.”
Lil Rod recently accused Diddy of sexual assault and sex trafficking, among other shocking allegations. The lawsuit linked Grainge to Diddy’s alleged misdeeds, claiming Grainge aided and abetted Diddy’s criminal activity. Grainge’s lawyers said Lil Rod’s accusations against the UMG boss were baseless.
In April, attorneys representing Grainge, UMG and Motown Records filed a motion to be dismissed from the case.
“All of the claims against Grainge, Motown and UMG Recordings (the ‘UMG Defendants’) in the [second amended complaint] are lacking in any legally cognizable basis,” lawyers argued, per court documents. “Every claim is premised on the untenable strict liability theory that when one enters into a commercial contract, the payor under that contract becomes liable for anything that the recipient of payment does with the payment.
“There is no law underpinning such theory and the baseless ‘general business partnership’ allegation in the [second amended complaint] provides no support. The claims against the UMG Defendants are entirely bereft of legal merit and should be dismissed with prejudice.”
Blackburn evidently agrees.