April 2010

Two songwriters say music producer Narada Walden cheated them of more than $200,000 in royalties. Rappers J. La-Rue and Skyler Jett claim Walden pocketed their earnings for 20 years.


Jarvis Baker claims Walden and his company, Gratitude Sky Music, owe him $125,440 in royalties. Skyler Jett (Kevin Smith) claims he's owed $84,333. They sued Walden and Gratitude Sky Music in Marin County Court.

Baker and Smith say they co-wrote an unspecified number of songs while working for Walden's company, Tarpan Studios, between 1989 and 1995.
Defendant Gratitude Sky Publishing is a Tarpan subsidiary, according to the complaint. The plaintiffs say their songs have been recorded by a variety or musicians, including Tevin Campbell, Shanice Williams, Al Jarreau and Eddie Murphy.


They say Nielsen SoundScan reported that more than 4.3 million recordings of their song have been sold in the U.S. and Canada alone. They say that international sales doubled that number.

The songwriters say they found out about the missing royalties in November 2007, when a former Walden employee "inadvertently uncovered" evidence of Walden's "improprieties."

Walden admitted to pocketing the plaintiffs' royalties when the unnamed former employee confronted him, the lawsuit states. The plaintiffs say Walden fired the employee "very soon after the foregoing discussion."

Smith and Baker say that when they confronted him, Walden offered to pay them $460.


http://www.courthousenews.../26413.htm

Prince, you are no longer the biggest arsehole in the music industry. Narada, take your place at the front of the line.
[Edited 4/15/10 21:50pm]

sosgemini said:

[b]

LOL

Damn,I was just reading his bio the other day & watched him on Stacy Lattisaw's Unsung & I was saying to myself out of all the years he's been playing u never heard anything relating to bad business about him.
Oh well..we'll see how this plays out.

Skyler Jett, is not a rapper. She is the girl that was on Tevin's "Little Brother", track. I did not know that Narada, was an asshole....

Ask Walter Afanasieff about him stealing production credits.

http://www.psych.mcgill.c...sieff.html
[Edited 4/17/10 1:11am]

carlcranshaw said:

wow great read, thanks!

RnBAmbassador said:

I was there and he blew the crowd away with his drum performance! Don't know about the court case--will have to wait and see on that one. But the man is one hell of a drummer!

poetcorner61 said:

[b]So how was the concert? Would you recommend it? How were Jeff and Rhonda?[/b]

RnBAmbassador said:

I highly recommend it! The band was really tight. Rhonda threw in fabulous funk on her bass with her growling vocals and Beck was in fine form on the guitar--as fresh as if it was his first night on this world tour. Blew the crowd away--we asked for and got--three encores! If you can, go see it!

poetcorner61 said:

Yeah, the show was great. I was second row with nobody in front of me. I was completely side stage and probably would have complained about barely being able to see Jeff if Rhonda was not right in front of me. She sounded amazing and looked beautiful as usual. Did you notice the little "Owaa" she did at the end of the first song she sang. That was the fifth time I have seen Jeff and it was the funkiest I have ever heard him. I loved Tal but Rhonda sure brought the funk. That was a killer version of "I Want To Take You Higher."

carlcranshaw said:

It was disappointing to read that

shorttrini said:

Skyler Jett, is not a rapper. She is the girl that was on Tevin's "Little Brother", track. I did not know that Narada, was an asshole....

No man Skyler Jett is a brother from Oaktown who originally replaced Lionel Ritchie in the Commodores and J.D. Nicholas took his place. He also was instrumental in bringing Sly back a couple of years ago.

Go to the website skylerjett.com and check him out.

Narada was ripping off all the talent over there during the 80's and 90's telling people just wait we gonna do your record next...what a guy ...huh?

Identity said:

Smith and Baker say that when they confronted him, Walden offered to pay them $460.

$460 ?

People would go "$500", "$400" or even "$450".. but $460?