The widow of founding Wu-Tang Clan member Ol' Dirty Bastard has sued Wu-Tang Clan Productions over unpaid royalties, alleging that the late rapper's estate is owed at least $1 million USD.
Sole proprietor Icelene Jones claims in the court document [obtained by Variety] that Wu-Tang Clan Productions did not pay ODB's (legal name Russell Tyrone Jones) estate any royalties from 2011 until July 2021.
Last summer, the company finally sent the estate a cheque for $130,000 USD. ODB's estate also received some payments from the Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corporation in 2019 and 2020, but they allegedly only totalled a fraction of the amount owed.
ODB reportedly signed a recording agreement in 1992 that certified he be paid 50 percent of net earnings from the publishing of his copyrighted songs, and Clan members were to split 50 percent of the royalties from sound recordings. According to the lawsuit, the estate is also owed payment from videos and merchandising.
Jones' suit also alleges that the estate of her late husband, who died of an accidental overdose in 2004 at age 35, has repeatedly sought payments and accountings from Robert Diggs (a.k.a. RZA) — owner and operator of Wu-Tang Clan Productions, as well as ODB's cousin — over the years, however, no detailed bookkeeping has been made available.
Filed yesterday (February 8) in New York Supreme Court, the lawsuit alleges a breach of contract over the 1992 agreement and is seeking at least $1 million USD in damages, in addition to interest and attorney fees.
Last year, ODB's Return to the 26 Chambers was reissued for its 25th anniversary and the new buyers of Wu-Tang Clan's Once Upon a Time in Shaolin paid $4 million to own the sole copy of the album.
Sole proprietor Icelene Jones claims in the court document [obtained by Variety] that Wu-Tang Clan Productions did not pay ODB's (legal name Russell Tyrone Jones) estate any royalties from 2011 until July 2021.
Last summer, the company finally sent the estate a cheque for $130,000 USD. ODB's estate also received some payments from the Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corporation in 2019 and 2020, but they allegedly only totalled a fraction of the amount owed.
ODB reportedly signed a recording agreement in 1992 that certified he be paid 50 percent of net earnings from the publishing of his copyrighted songs, and Clan members were to split 50 percent of the royalties from sound recordings. According to the lawsuit, the estate is also owed payment from videos and merchandising.
Jones' suit also alleges that the estate of her late husband, who died of an accidental overdose in 2004 at age 35, has repeatedly sought payments and accountings from Robert Diggs (a.k.a. RZA) — owner and operator of Wu-Tang Clan Productions, as well as ODB's cousin — over the years, however, no detailed bookkeeping has been made available.
Filed yesterday (February 8) in New York Supreme Court, the lawsuit alleges a breach of contract over the 1992 agreement and is seeking at least $1 million USD in damages, in addition to interest and attorney fees.
Last year, ODB's Return to the 26 Chambers was reissued for its 25th anniversary and the new buyers of Wu-Tang Clan's Once Upon a Time in Shaolin paid $4 million to own the sole copy of the album.
