The Supreme Court declined today (June 26) to hear a case involving a contract dispute between record companies over a hip-hop album by Ja Rule and other rappers.
Lawyers for TVT Records and TVT Music Inc. asked justices to overturn a decision by the New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which voided a $132 million jury verdict TVT was awarded in its dispute with another recording company, the Island Def Jam Music Group.
The jury found in TVT’s favor in the company’s fight with IDJ over TVT’s efforts to distribute an album by Cash Money Click, whose members included Jeffrey Atkins, known professionally as Ja Rule. The group joined TVT because of talent scout Irving Lorenzo, who is known professionally as Irv Gotti.
After Gotti left TVT for Island Def Jam, Ja Rule followed a few years later. Both men enjoyed far more success with IDJ under the Murder, Inc., label.
In court filings, IDJ lawyers said the dispute stemmed from a threat in 2001 by a TVT employee to release old CMC songs “that weren’t particularly good” at the same time as Ja Rule’s next IDJ recording. A side deal was signed by some representatives of the parties, but IDJ ultimately refused to honor the agreement.
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