Offset Sued By His Ex-Label Quality Control, Accused Of Failing To Pay It Cut Of His Profits
Jan. 31 2023, Published 12:00 p.m. ET
Offset has been slapped with a lawsuit by his ex-label Quality Control which claims it is still owed money from his solo projects despite the Migos’ rapper’s claims, RadarOnline.com has learned.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, Quality Control, which is run by Kevin "Coach K" Lee and Pierre "P" Thomas, has filed a countersuit against Cardi B's husband months after he sued the label.
In his lawsuit, Offset explained that he signed to QC when he was a part of Migos. He stayed on the label for over a decade until in 2020 he wanted out.
Offset said he “paid handsomely” to reclaim the rights to his solo career. He said he negotiated a settlement with QC which allowed him to have ownership of his solo recordings.
In his lawsuit, Offset said despite the agreement being signed, QC was attempting to claim ownership and collect royalties on his solo work including his song 54321.
“Offset now brings this action to vindicate his rights and make it clear to the world that Offset, not Quality Control, owns Offset’s music,” the suit read.
As RadarOnline.com first reported, earlier this week, QC filed documents in the case accusing Offset of breaching a confidentiality clause they had by blabbing on social media about the dispute.
Now, we’ve obtained the countersuit filed by QC which claims the 2021 settlement doesn’t mean they don’t get paid off his solo work.
QC said there are two deals in place — a production agreement and a label deal. It said it modified the production agreement with Offset NOT the label deal.
It argued, “The 2021 Settlement Agreement did not affect Quality Control’s ownership, control and/or income rights in recordings made by Offset under the Label Deal Agreement, either prior to or after the 2021 Settlement Agreement, as Quality Control’s rights in those recordings are granted by Capitol pursuant to the terms of the Label Deal Agreement, not by Offset under the Production Agreement.
Further, “Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, Quality Control entered into an assignment agreement dated as of January 15, 2021 (the “Offset Assignment”) under which Quality Control assigned its rights under the Offset/Capitol Agreement to Offset. The Offset Assignment makes no reference to, nor did it amend, the Label Deal Agreement. Accordingly, the Offset Assignment did not affect Quality Control’s ownership or profit participation rights in recordings made by Offset because Quality Control’s rights in such recordings are derived from the Label Deal Agreement, not from the Offset/Capitol Agreement.”
QC said that while Offset is now “furnishing his solo recording services directly to Capitol pursuant” to the terms of his Capitol Agreement, rather than Quality Control.
“Pursuant to the Offset/Capitol Agreement, all rights in solo recordings made by Offset are granted to Capitol as works made for hire. Subsequently, under the terms of the Label Deal Agreement, Capitol continues to assign to Quality Control its one hundred percent copyright ownership in any new Offset solo recordings. Accordingly, while Capitol is the exclusive distributor of such recordings, Quality Control is the legal owner of all copyright rights in any new works by Offset so long as Offset is furnishing his solo recording services to Capitol under the Offset/Capitol Agreement,” the suit said.
In the lawsuit, QC said Offset has failed to pay it the required payments and breached the deal by revealing terms publicly. The label is demanding unspecified damages.