Former Konvict Muzik artist Verse Simmonds, whose real name is Maurice Simmonds, has filed a lawsuit against his former label and publishing company.
In an Instagram post, the rapper/songwriter posted, “FYI … Today, my lawyers filed a $3 million dollars amended complaint against Bu Thiam and his companies. We were hopeful we could settle this matter, however, we gotta do what we gotta do. I have written hits for the likes of too many major artist to just let this slide and at this point, we have to take it to the courts…. thank u to my supporters and my attorney @jameswalkerjresq for standing with me. Whatever the outcome at least we doing what’s right!”
According to the screenshot of the lawsuit, one thing is clear: the Thiam brothers and Simmonds have not settled their issues from their 2018 case.
In that case, Verse Simmonds sued the same parties, and the copyright dispute was presented before the honorable Michael L. Brown of the US District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.
Abou “Bu” Thiam, the owner of Bu Vision Publishing and international rap sensation Akon are biological brothers.
While Bu could have lived in his brother’s shadow, he distinguished himself as a music executive on his own. The former Vice President of A&R for Def Jam records (who at 28 was the youngest person to have that position) also managed artists and signed them to lucrative publishing deals.
One of whom is T-Pain, who he discovered and signed in 2005. He also managed Kanye West before he stepped out on his own — and stepped his toe in politics.
Verse Simmonds, a Puerto Rican man that grew up in the Virgin Islands, has written and produced the following bangers for your fave artists: “Man Down” for Rihanna, “Who Gone Stop Me” for Kanye West and Jay-Z, “Confident” for Justin Bieber and Chance the Rapper, and the Grammy-nominated “New Flame” for Chris Brown, Usher, and Rick Ross.
Simmonds claims he penned songs for Bu Vision Publishing but has never seen a dime. These aren’t just any old songs either. Verse says Bu owes him money for songs he wrote for Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj, Trey Songz, and others.
