Jason Derulo has been sued for sexual harassment by a singer once signed to his Future History label imprint of Atlantic Records. He has denied the allegations, calling them "false and hurtful."
Emaza Gibson filed the claim in Los Angeles County Superior Court yesterday (October 5), alleging that Derulo had dropped her from the label when she refused to have sex with him.
The singer was signed to Future History as a solo artist in August 2021, her contract reportedly stipulating a single featuring Derulo, and claimed to have begun working with the hitmaker that November.
Gibson alleges that Derulo would frequently book late-night studio sessions for the two of them, when he would repeatedly make sexual advances and pressure her to drink, the suit citing an "explicit demand for sex-in-exchange-for-success" [via The Hollywood Reporter].
According to the complainant, Derulo allegedly told Gibson that, to be successful in the music industry, she "would be required to partake in 'goat skin and fish scales,'" which is apparently a Haitian reference to conducting sex rituals, sacrificing goats and doing cocaine.
"The manner and timing of such a statement meant that Derulo was demanding sexual acts from [Gibson] in order for Derulo to fulfill his role as her mentor, supervisor and musical collaborator," the document claims. Gibson was allegedly dropped from the label in 2022.
"I'm at this point in my life right now. It's very heartbreaking," Gibson told NBC News. "I have anxiety; I'm traumatized. I've dealt with inhumane work situations. … I'm at this point where I'm back to zero and I have nothing."
Derulo himself took to Instagram to address the lawsuit, posting a video of himself delivering a statement. "I wouldn't normally comment but these claims are completely false and hurtful," he said. "I stand against all forms of harassment and I remain supportive of anybody following their dreams. I've always strived to live my life in a positively impactful way, and that's why I sit here before you, deeply offended by these defamatory claims. God bless."
Emaza Gibson filed the claim in Los Angeles County Superior Court yesterday (October 5), alleging that Derulo had dropped her from the label when she refused to have sex with him.
The singer was signed to Future History as a solo artist in August 2021, her contract reportedly stipulating a single featuring Derulo, and claimed to have begun working with the hitmaker that November.
Gibson alleges that Derulo would frequently book late-night studio sessions for the two of them, when he would repeatedly make sexual advances and pressure her to drink, the suit citing an "explicit demand for sex-in-exchange-for-success" [via The Hollywood Reporter].
According to the complainant, Derulo allegedly told Gibson that, to be successful in the music industry, she "would be required to partake in 'goat skin and fish scales,'" which is apparently a Haitian reference to conducting sex rituals, sacrificing goats and doing cocaine.
"The manner and timing of such a statement meant that Derulo was demanding sexual acts from [Gibson] in order for Derulo to fulfill his role as her mentor, supervisor and musical collaborator," the document claims. Gibson was allegedly dropped from the label in 2022.
"I'm at this point in my life right now. It's very heartbreaking," Gibson told NBC News. "I have anxiety; I'm traumatized. I've dealt with inhumane work situations. … I'm at this point where I'm back to zero and I have nothing."
Derulo himself took to Instagram to address the lawsuit, posting a video of himself delivering a statement. "I wouldn't normally comment but these claims are completely false and hurtful," he said. "I stand against all forms of harassment and I remain supportive of anybody following their dreams. I've always strived to live my life in a positively impactful way, and that's why I sit here before you, deeply offended by these defamatory claims. God bless."