Jermaine Dupri Sues Sony Over Alleged Unpaid Royalties

Jermaine Dupri and his record label, So So Def Recordings, have filed a lawsuit against Sony, alleging the company underpaid and withheld millions of dollars in music royalties.

According to the lawsuit, the disputed royalties involve a number of successful releases by artists including Mariah Carey, Usher, Kris Kross, Jagged Edge, Xscape, Da Brat, and Bow Wow.

Dupri claims the issue came to light in 2023 after Sony issued revised royalty statements. The lawsuit says a 2025 audit later identified alleged accounting errors, missing royalty payments, and previously unreported earnings.

The filing alleges Sony failed to pay all royalties owed on several So So Def releases, leaving the label millions of dollars short. It also claims royalties tied to projects Dupri produced for Mariah Carey and Usher were underpaid, although the total amount for those claims is still being calculated.

Dupri and his companies are seeking at least $18 million in damages, along with interest and any additional amounts that may be owed. Sony has not publicly responded to the allegations.