Chuck D Accuses Record Label Of Cheating Him Out Of $1 Million

BY Erika Marie 3.3K Views
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He claims he's lost nearly half his catalog.

Public Enemy legend Chuck D is fighting the powers that be. The rapper is taking his record label to court in an effort to both regain control of his music catalog and in what he says was a fraudulent attempt to scheme him out of cash. According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Chuck D, real name Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, has filed a lawsuit against his label and has accused them of cheating him out of over one million dollars.

Ridenhour reportedly inked a deal with Reach Global Music and Terrodome Music Publishing back in 2001, however, Ridenhour wasn't aware of any alleged shady business dealings until early this year. TMZ reports that Ridenhour believes his label knew he wasn't business savvy so for 18 years they've been secretly swindling him. The documents state that Ridenhour claims he's lost 42% of his catalog and when he looked over important paperwork, he found that the label created fake copyright registrations. The political activist also says there were deceptive transactions made in an effort to hide money from him.

The "Don't Believe the Hype" rapper hopes that the court will rule in his favor and award him a one million dollar judgments as well as give him the rights to his creative material.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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