A new development surrounding the reported theft of lyric books belonging to the MF DOOM sees the late artist's family filing a lawsuit against former associate Eothen "Egon" Alapatt, calling his alleged actions "outright thievery."
Billboard reports that Jasmine Dumile Thompson, DOOM's widow, officially filed the suit in California federal court yesterday (October 24), claiming that Alapatt stole 31 of the artist's notebooks containing the lyrics of many catalogue favourites, unreleased writing and "other creative ideations."
The report notes how Alapatt is allegedly demanding the lyric books be "donated to a university or government archive" or a "museum or other institution of [Alapatt's] choosing," despite the wishes of DOOM's family. Via Billboard, the suit reads, in part, "[The notebooks] were intended by DOOM to be secret and confidential."
Jasmine Dumile Thompson first claimed DOOM's lyric books were in Alapatt's possession in September 2022, and this past March, detailed the "unsuccessful attempts to get these back" made before DOOM's 2020 passing at age 49. Thompson also shared screenshots of email correspondence between herself, Alapatt and the artist born Daniel Dumile, confirming the notebooks were in the executive's hands.
Now, Billboard's report offers the greatest look at how the lyric books ended up with Alapatt. Following a 2010 performance in his native UK, DOOM was prohibited from reentering the US due to immigration issues. The lawsuit alleges that in the artist's absence, the 31 lyric books were left behind in a Los Angeles studio, with Alapatt "[taking] unlawful possession" of them six years later.
Alapatt — now the president and founder of reissue label Now-Again Records — previously served as the general manager of Stones Throw Records from 2000 to 2011, and is credited with Project Coordination on Madlib and MF DOOM's celebrated album as Madvillain, 2004's Madvillainy.
The lawsuit says that Alapatt "never consulted with DOOM about his acquisition of the notebooks and took advantage of DOOM's being out the country to obtain them," claiming that when he was first confronted by DOOM about their whereabouts, Alapatt said he didn't have them. Upon confronting Alapatt again after the studio landlord reportedly told DOOM who was in possession of the notebooks, the exec is alleged to have claimed that they were legally his property after paying a reported $12,500 in past-due rent on DOOM's behalf.
Additionally, the suit claims that in the summer of 2020, Alapatt reportedly offered to send DOOM and his family photocopies of the notebook contents for the "sole purpose" of allowing the artist access, but would not return the physical books — a proposal DOOM refused. The artist's estate says that in October of that year, prior to DOOM's passing, Alapatt sent a hard drive containing large format scans of the notebook contents to DOOM. Per Billboard's report, the estate alleges that Alapatt was in talks with potential buyers to sell the notebooks or the aforementioned copies, arguing that the exec was unlawfully infringing on the artist's intellectual property.
"Although Alapatt has professed that he 'does not intend to publish' the unauthorized digital copies he made, he does not have to 'publish' the copies of his infringing copies to be liable," the complaint reads in part [via Billboard]. "Regardless, [DOOM's estate] alleges that Alapatt actually shared the copies of the notebook he made with others."
Thompson's suit requests a jury trial in alleging copyright infringement, along with "fraud, conversion, unjust enrichment, constructive trust and declaratory relief." The estate is seeking the return of the 31 notebooks, destruction of the photocopies, and "significant compensation" for damages.
Billboard reports that Jasmine Dumile Thompson, DOOM's widow, officially filed the suit in California federal court yesterday (October 24), claiming that Alapatt stole 31 of the artist's notebooks containing the lyrics of many catalogue favourites, unreleased writing and "other creative ideations."
The report notes how Alapatt is allegedly demanding the lyric books be "donated to a university or government archive" or a "museum or other institution of [Alapatt's] choosing," despite the wishes of DOOM's family. Via Billboard, the suit reads, in part, "[The notebooks] were intended by DOOM to be secret and confidential."
Jasmine Dumile Thompson first claimed DOOM's lyric books were in Alapatt's possession in September 2022, and this past March, detailed the "unsuccessful attempts to get these back" made before DOOM's 2020 passing at age 49. Thompson also shared screenshots of email correspondence between herself, Alapatt and the artist born Daniel Dumile, confirming the notebooks were in the executive's hands.
Now, Billboard's report offers the greatest look at how the lyric books ended up with Alapatt. Following a 2010 performance in his native UK, DOOM was prohibited from reentering the US due to immigration issues. The lawsuit alleges that in the artist's absence, the 31 lyric books were left behind in a Los Angeles studio, with Alapatt "[taking] unlawful possession" of them six years later.
Alapatt — now the president and founder of reissue label Now-Again Records — previously served as the general manager of Stones Throw Records from 2000 to 2011, and is credited with Project Coordination on Madlib and MF DOOM's celebrated album as Madvillain, 2004's Madvillainy.
The lawsuit says that Alapatt "never consulted with DOOM about his acquisition of the notebooks and took advantage of DOOM's being out the country to obtain them," claiming that when he was first confronted by DOOM about their whereabouts, Alapatt said he didn't have them. Upon confronting Alapatt again after the studio landlord reportedly told DOOM who was in possession of the notebooks, the exec is alleged to have claimed that they were legally his property after paying a reported $12,500 in past-due rent on DOOM's behalf.
Additionally, the suit claims that in the summer of 2020, Alapatt reportedly offered to send DOOM and his family photocopies of the notebook contents for the "sole purpose" of allowing the artist access, but would not return the physical books — a proposal DOOM refused. The artist's estate says that in October of that year, prior to DOOM's passing, Alapatt sent a hard drive containing large format scans of the notebook contents to DOOM. Per Billboard's report, the estate alleges that Alapatt was in talks with potential buyers to sell the notebooks or the aforementioned copies, arguing that the exec was unlawfully infringing on the artist's intellectual property.
"Although Alapatt has professed that he 'does not intend to publish' the unauthorized digital copies he made, he does not have to 'publish' the copies of his infringing copies to be liable," the complaint reads in part [via Billboard]. "Regardless, [DOOM's estate] alleges that Alapatt actually shared the copies of the notebook he made with others."
Thompson's suit requests a jury trial in alleging copyright infringement, along with "fraud, conversion, unjust enrichment, constructive trust and declaratory relief." The estate is seeking the return of the 31 notebooks, destruction of the photocopies, and "significant compensation" for damages.
