Jermaine Dupri, Sony Music resolve $18 million royalty dispute; lawsuit dismissed

Jermaine Dupri and Sony Music Entertainment have resolved their royalty dispute, ending a federal lawsuit less than two months after it was filed.

Dupri, So So Def Recordings and So So Def Productions voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit without prejudice on Friday, Aug. 28, according to a notice filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

"The parties have resolved the matter prior to joinder," attorney Christopher Brown wrote in the filing.

The notice does not explain how the dispute was resolved or disclose whether money changed hands.

Dupri and his companies sued Sony on July 6, accusing the music company of underreporting, withholding or failing to report royalties connected to artists including Kris Kross, Xscape, Da Brat and Jagged Edge.

The complaint sought at least $18 million, plus interest and attorneys' fees.

Among its claims, the lawsuit alleged that Sony owed more than $2.2 million tied to the first two Kris Kross albums, more than $960,000 connected to Xscape's "Hummin' Comin' at 'Cha" and more than $1 million for Da Brat's "Funkdafied."

The plaintiffs also sought more than $10 million in interest on allegedly unpaid royalties involving Kris Kross, Xscape, Da Brat and potentially other artists.

The complaint said a 2025 audit uncovered the alleged royalty issues. Sony did not admit wrongdoing in the voluntary dismissal notice, and the court did not rule on the lawsuit's allegations.