NEW YORK — Producer Jermaine Dupri filed an $18 million lawsuit against Sony Music Entertainment on July 6, 2026, in Manhattan federal court. The lawsuit alleges that the company failed to pay royalties and engaged in deceptive accounting practices.

The complaint states Sony kept funds in "a separate royalty accounting system unknown to plaintiffs." It details over $1 million in unpaid producer royalties for Da Brat's "Funkdafied" and $960,000 for Xscape's "Hummin' Comin' At 'Cha." The filing claims Dupri is owed more than $10 million in interest payments for unpaid royalties related to Xscape, Kris Kross, Da Brat, and other artists. Damages are to be determined by a jury trial.

The lawsuit outlines a pattern of underreporting royalties and retroactively updating previously earned royalty statements. It alleges Sony hid royalties owed on Kris Kross' catalog for more than two decades and concealed additional money owed from Jagged Edge's 1997 album, The Jagged Era. The filing accuses Sony of "willful deceitful actions designed to harm Plaintiffs in their business." Dupri began to suspect he had not been paid in full for royalties in 2023. An accounting audit conducted in 2025 reportedly uncovered millions owed to Dupri and his companies, So So Def Recordings and So So Def Productions.

So-So Def Entertainment entered into an agreement with Sony Music Entertainment in May 1992, which included releasing projects from Da Brat, Xscape, Whodini, and Neena. A joint venture agreement was established in 1997, which concluded with a buyout in 2002. After the buyout, So-So Def entered into a deal with Arista to release projects from Bow Wow and Jagged Edge. Subsequent distribution deals were made with Universal Music Group and EMI.

A representative for Sony Music Entertainment stated the company had no comment. Dupri's lawyer, Chris Brown, also had no comment.