from the hollywood reporter:

&B superstar Jill Scott was sued this morning by her longtime record label, which is accusing the multi-platinum songstress of skipping out halfway through a six-album contract and potentially owing millions of dollars in damages.

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by L.A.-based Hidden Beach Records, claims that the label and its founder, Steve McKeever, helped launch Scott's career and nurtured her into a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter but was unceremoniously dumped in October after a 10-plus year relationship.

"Hidden Beach is shocked by her decision not only because Scott has apparently chosen to leave the Hidden Beach family," the complaint reads, "but also because Scott is contractually required to deliver three more albums to Hidden Beach."

The complaint alleges causes of action for breach of contract and damages owed under California's Labor Code Sec. 2855. That statute, sometimes known as the "De Havilland Law" because it stems from actress Oliva De Havilland's successful fight in the '40s against long-term studio deals, provides that talent cannot be bound by personal services contracts for longer than seven years. Hidden Beach isn't disputing that Scott's deal violated the seven-year rule but the law carves out a requirement that certain recording artists who wish to terminate their lengthy deals must reimburse their labels in the amount the labels would have received under the terms of the contracts. Since breaking onto the scene with the double-platinum selling "Who Is Jill Scott?" album in 2000, Scott's studio albums (and live albums) have generated millions in revenue. So while Hidden Beach's alleged damages are unspecified in the complaint, under California law they could total several million dollars.

The lawsuit is unusually detailed in its description of the small label's close relationship with Scott. She clearly was the center of attention for McKeever. The complaint alleges he paid her million-dollar advances when he wasn't required to, allowed her to keep merchandising revenue, paid $450,000 to fund a concert DVD that Scott later asked not be released, bought her lavish gifts and indulged her desire to slow her recording schedule to pursue an acting career (Scott has appeared in the films "Houndog," "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?" and HBO's "No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency").

"Hidden Beach feels that Jill Scott is an incredibly talented artist," the company's lawyer Lawrence Hinkle told us. "No one regrets that this lawsuit had to be filed more than Hidden Beach, but its hands were tied and it had no other option."

A call to Scott's attorney Stephen Barnes was not immediately returned.

this lawsuit is weird.Just a few weeks ago,it was reported that she is preparing a new album for release this summer.I wonder what went wrong.

Now would be the ideal time for Jill to adopt a unpronounceable symbol for her name as a means to absolve herself of contractual liabilities.

I have never even heard of Hidden Beach. Who else is on that label besides Jill?

scriptgirl said:

Seriously?

They're to Neo-Soul artists, what Motown was to R&B singers.

Identity said:

scriptgirl said:

The label roster includes Al B. Sure, Be Be Winans & Prince's (former?) sax man
Mike Phillips.
[Edited 2/4/10 9:15am]

I just remember Kedar's label being big re neo soul

Identity said:

And more notably Kindred the Family Soul.

She was the flag ship artist there though. I wonder what they will do without her? Kindred aren't moving units like Jill (though I love them both)

Is this label Philly based?

Identity said:

Lina is on this label too (or at least used to be if she still isn't now) as well as Chico DeBarge I believe. It's a well known label IMO.
[Edited 2/4/10 10:08am]

Chico is on Kedar

scriptgirl said:

Yeah that's right, I get the two labels confused. I knew you would know though scriptgirl

scriptgirl said:

* Jill Scott
* Al B. Sure!
* The Tony Rich Project
* Kindred the Family Soul
* Mike Phillips
* Jeff Bradshaw


It's been around for 12 years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/w...Recordings

I thought it was DJ Jazzy Jeff's label.

Anyway, I wonder if she had one of those "option" contracts where the label can cut the artist loose at any given moment, but have the option to hold her to the contract for a number of albums (the remaining 3 of 6)

scriptgirl said:

No, it's here on the west coast (Santa Monica to be more specific).

Cinnie said:

You're thinking about A Touch of Jazz, his production company that launched the careers of all the producers on Jill's first lp, Andre Harris being the most successful.

Adisa said:

You're absolutely correct.

ernestsewell said:

Darius Rucker (Hootie & the Blowfish) did an album with them too

Well, Miss Fee, you know me!

missfee said:

Lina only did one album with them. She is now independent.

Chico has never been on Hidden Beach. He is on Kedar Massenberg's label.

SoulAlive said:

But I don't remember them saying what label she would be on.

Cinnie said:

I think Jazzy Jeff may have owned part of the label at one time.

Wasn't Jill on Kedar at one point?

daPrettyman said:

Yeah, I really remember some connection between him and Hidden Beach. He either co-owned it, or at least was the President or some big VP, although his wikipedia page gives no details to any of that. I almost remember Jill mentioning him too.

The weird thing about this suit is that Jill has given them six albums, plus some. The 826+ is an album of mostly unreleased stuff, plus a live album. Collaborations is just that. So even if you nix those two, she's still given them three albums, and if she does have a six album deal, then it is halfway through. I know sometimes record companies don't count live albums or Greatest Hits stuff as one of the records that is due in their contract. It usually has to be an original album of original material.

Words and Sounds Vol 4 is due out this year. If she was smart, she'd pull out unreleased stuff as an album, and do Vol 4 and 5 of Words and Sounds, and finish off her contract. She could do that in 3 years.

There just has to be more with this story.

scriptgirl said:

No. You may be getting her confused with Erykah Badu.

Damn Jilly from Philly. I'm sorry to hear that. I wonder what caused her to want to leave. Maybe she want her own. I still would like to hear her side of the story. There's always two sides. Hopefully, she's as smart as she is talented. Maybe she already has something lined up and will take care of whatever obligations left pending.

ernestsewell said:

I know a few people that have worked with her and they all say she is "out there". A couple of them have even described her as "crazy", so I wouldn't be surprised on what went down.

A lot of this sounds like she got an offer from a major record company and they are promising her the moon. This suit may be a way for a new label to "acquire" her contract with Hidden Beach and sign her to a new deal.

daPrettyman said:

I already know that, scriptgirl told me. scroll^^^^

I said that I got Kedar and Hidden Beach confused.