A record label dispute has Jill Scott in national news, as the Philadelphia based singer is being sued by Hidden Beach Records in Los Angles Superior Court for walking away from a six album deal.
After choosing to end her relationship with the L.A. based record label in October, Scott could potentially owe the label millions for leaving midway through her six album deal. The Grammy-winning soul singer had been with Hidden Beach for over ten years, however, a section of the California Labor Code referred to as the “De Havilland Law” states that talent cannot be bound by contracts for longer than seven years. While Hidden Beach admits that the deal did violate this rule, they countered with the fact that the law requires recording artists who wish to terminate their deals must reimburse their labels for what they would have received under the terms of the contract. Although no specific amount was given for alleged damages, considering Scott’s multi-platinum track record, the amount could well be in the millions.
The suit goes into great detail in describing the lengths the label went to appease Scott, including lavish gifts, million-dollar advances and a good amount of creative freedom.
The label and its founder, Steve McKeever, make a pretty compelling argument, and we can only hope that the two parties come to an agreement that doesn’t impact the release of her upcoming album The Light of the Sun: Words and Sounds, Vol. 4.
Via: Reuters US Online Report Entertainment News
