Producer Dr. Luke and the Juice WRLD estate have been hit with a lawsuit from artist PD Beats, according to Digital Music News. PD Beats, also known as Pierre Orpheus DeJournette, claims he produced “key elements” of their hit song “Not Enough.” Because of his contribution, PD Beats believes he should get residuals of the 2021 song, which was released two years after Juice WRLD’s death.
The producer’s lawyers filed his federal lawsuit on Tuesday (October 17) in a California court.
“Defendants have released, marketed, distributed, and monetized the subject song without accrediting or providing PD Beats his proportional share of the revenue,” the lawsuit stated. “Defendants have failed to meaningfully respond, necessitating this action.”
Per the complaint, the producer should’ve been credited as co-writer of the track. On the flipside, Dr. Luke and Juice WRLD’s estate maintain he didn’t work on the composition in a way that warrants him to participate in any revenue share.
The lawyers representing PD Beats said their client was key to the song being hot, breaking down the specifics of what he did on the project. As they explained, PD Beats was responsible for all of the “original guitar, performance, and production” and “writing the beats and programming the 808s” (the Roland TR-808 drum machine)” on “Not Enough.” They add the song would lack “key elements that form the basis of the subject song’s audience appeal” without PD Beats’ contributions.
PD Beats maintains he was credited as a co-writer in certain versions of the song’s credits, although the lawsuit doesn’t specify which versions or where to find them. PD Beats is seeking a judicial declaration of co-ownership and requests a court-ordered revenue accounting for the song. If that’s done, he demands equal ownership of the copyrights.
