Iconic Singer, Prince, Sued Over Judith Hill’s Album Download

Recently, a producer for Judith Hill has filed a lawsuit against Prince. The singer e-mailed a free download link to Hill’s album via Live Nation’s mailing list.

The producer, Jolene Cherry, filed the lawsuit on March 27th. She claims that Judith was under contract with her. She also states that Hill took the music that they had been working on and started collaborating with Prince, who then gave the music away for free. Cherry is now trying to sue Prince over Judith Hill’s debut album, Back in Time. However, Judith was not named as a defendant in Cherry’s lawsuit.

Prince at The 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards on February 8, 2015. (Getty Images photo/Alberto E. Rodriguez).

Jolene wrote in the lawsuit, “Judith Hill’s first album – Back in Time — is now out, but rather than cheering along with her, the people who paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to develop her career and album and worked to position Hill for her first release (as well as those who co-wrote many of the songs) are sitting dumbfounded on the sidelines while Prince gives away their investment for free”.

However, Judith’s lawyer, Peter Haviland, entered a lawsuit in New York that claimed that “Judith is an independent artist, not bound by contract to anyone.” He then stated to Gossip Cop that Cherry’s “lawsuit is crazy,” adding, “Prince has done absolutely nothing wrong. Judith Hill was and is absolutely free to perform her music as she has done… It is a shame that Prince has been dragged into this insanity, but Judith Hill will not be deterred from performing her music by the likes of some Jolene Cherry.”

Empire Distribution Files Lawsuit Against FOX

Recently, FOX network has had a lawsuit filed against them by a music distribution company called Empire Distribution. The company applied for the rights to “Empire”, “Empire Distribution”, and “Empire Recordings”. There is a movie called “Empire Records” but there is no word that the company has filed a lawsuit against the people involved with the film.

A scene in the show “Empire”. (Fox images photo/Chuck Hodes).

Empire Distribution thinks that FOX has no right to use the word “Empire” for their TV show. They believe that FOX is using their name, so they are willing to sue for the rights. The company distributes and publishes music with artists like Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Sean Paul, and many more. Empire distribution also claims that it is being hurt by the fictitious label on the show.

The company is willing to compromise if they are paid eight million dollars by FOX. They have even lowered the price to five million if some of their artists are featured on the show “Empire”.

However, FOX is refusing to pay the amount. They are currently filing a lawsuit to ask a judge to declare Empire distribution’s claim illegitimate. Considering that the distribution company is found on the seventh page of Google, FOX feels that the company is obscure.

FOX is reluctant to change the name of the TV show, because it has had seen a lot of success for the music featured in the show. In the week that the Empire soundtrack was debuted, it reached No. 1 on Top R&B/ Hip Hop Albums. This made it the first soundtrack to ever crown the 50 year list. The soundtrack also made No. 1 on the Billboard’s 200 Chart.