The producer of the singer's most famous work alleges "clandestine agreements" intended to deprive him of full royalties owed from posthumous releases.

Harrison Funk; Getty Images

Michael Jackson (Inset: Quincy Jones)

Quincy Jones has filed a $10 million breach-of-contract lawsuit in connection with Michael Jackson projects released after the singer's death.

The legendary producer -- who has won 27 Grammy Awards and produced the King of Pop's best-selling albums including Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad -- is going to war with Sony Music Entertainment and MJJ Productions, a song company controlled by the icon's estate. At issue are works including the This Is It film and soundtrack album, the Michael Jackson Cirque du Soleil productions and the 25th anniversary edition of the Bad album.

In a complaint filed on Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court and obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Jones alleges that master recordings he worked on were wrongfully edited and remixed so as to deprive him of backend profit participation. Jones also asserts that he has been denied credit for his work on the singer's posthumous releases and that MJJ and Sony have entered into side deals taking profits that should have been included in the calculation of royalties.

Read the Complaint Here

"Quincy has been frustrated with these matters for a number of years, felt he was not making any progress and needed to take more formal action," says Henry Gradstein, his attorney.

Jones made agreements with Jackson in 1978 and 1985 for work on the singer's solo albums. The contracts are said to have stipulated that Jones be given the first opportunity to re-edit or remix any of the master recordings, that the coupling of master recordings with other recordings required his prior written consent, and that he be given producer credit for each of the master recordings. The deal also entitled the producer to additional compensation -- including upfront payment and a "backend" percentage -- in the event of remixed masters.

After the producer was hired, Jackson signed a recording agreement with Epic Records, a subsidiary of Sony. The record deal entitled Jones to payments, credit, the approval of biographical material and regular accounting. Jones contends that he is a third-party beneficiary of this recording agreement.

After Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, the King of Pop had a resurgence of popularity, and the executors of his estate and those who had control over his work attempted to exploit the public's appetite for new works. That October, Columbia Pictures released This Is It, from AEG Live and The Michael Jackson Company, which showed preparations for what would have been the singer's last concert tour. Two years later, Cirque du Soleil premiered a traveling theatrical show entitled "Michael Jackson: The Immortal Tour," which has grossed an estimated $300 million to date. This past May, Cirque du Soleil came out with a new production entitled "Michael Jackson: One." Soundtracks for both the film and the Cirque du Soleil productions have also been released.

The film and its soundtrack included re-edits of songs like "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," "She's Out of My Life," "Thriller," "Beat It," "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," and "Billy Jean." The Cirque du Soleil production and album included re-edits of many of those songs as well as "Burn the Disco Out," "Workin' Day and Night," "Baby Be Mine" and more.

Jones says the terms of his deal were breached when MJJ allowed third parties to exploit these works "without first providing a reasonable opportunity to Jones to perform such remixes and/or re-edits."

Then, the complaint goes into "clandestine agreements" allegedly made that had the effect of reducing Jones' royalties.

The lawsuit states Jones' belief that the Jackson parties "secretly entered into a venture agreement with Sony" where Sony and the Jackson Label would share profits. But Jones also alleges that rights to the master recordings "reverted from Sony to MJJ" and albums featuring the performances of Jackson were "distributed by the Jackson Label, instead of Sony, including albums embodying one or more of the Masters."

Thus, the defendants are charged with an effort to "divert" revenues to MJJ and "disguise" the revenues as "profits" instead of "royalties."

According to the lawsuit, "By removing such Disguised Royalties from the pool of revenues upon which Jones' royalties are calculated, MJJ purposely reduces the royalties … payable to Jones under both of the Agreements."

The lawsuit alleges another secret agreement between Sony and producers of the This Is It film. Sony-owned master recordings were licensed, but the deal allegedly "divides the compensation payable to Sony into one portion designated for the master use licenses (the "Master Use License Fees") and another portion paid directly to MJJ (the "Additional Fees").

STORY: Michael Jackson Tr...for Death

This is another way that Jones figures he's been deprived of royalties due to him, and it's further said that "the Master Use License Fees do not represent the fair market value, negotiated in good faith, to license the masters used in the Film."

Jones is seeking at least $10 million in damages for breach of contract, and less specifically, he wants unpaid royalties due to him, remixing fees that would otherwise have been paid, and compensation for the loss of the value of credit he would have received. He's also demanding an accounting.

in a statement to THR, Howard Weitzman, lawyer for the Michael Jackson Estate, says the estate "was saddened to learn that Quincy Jones has filed a lawsuit seeking money from Michael's estate. To the best of its knowledge, Mr. Jones has been appropriately compensated over approximately 35 years for his work with Michael."

I think Quincy is right.

Cinny said:

I think Quincy is right.

he is right

this could get messy

It sounds like Quincy has a valid case. I get the impression that lawsuits involving Mike's estate could go on for longer than he actually lived.

babynoz said:

It sounds like Quincy has a valid case. I get the impression that lawsuits involving Mike's estate could go on for longer than he actually lived.

that estate is toast from here on out

Quincy got juked for years but never said nothing about it

Well, if there is a contract then I guess he got a point. But seriously, here is a near 100 year old, senile Quincy Jones sitting on his fat ass, while the others are doing the work and he wants money until all eternity. I mean he got hired 35 years ago to do that work. He did it and got compensated for it. He didn't work for free. At one point you'd think that he's gotten enough. Reading shit like that (and that applies to all "creative" work) I'm glad, that the fucking industry is going to hell, really. Why should people get paid until all eternity for work they fullfilled half a lifetime ago?

PatrickS77 said:

Well, if there is a contract then I guess he got a point. But seriously, here is a near 100 year old, senile Quincy Jones sitting on his fat ass, while the others are doing the work and he wants money until all eternity. I mean he got hired 35 years ago to do that work. He did it and got compensated for it. He didn't work for free. At one point you'd think that he's gotten enough. Reading shit like that (and that applies to all "creative" work) I'm glad, that the fucking industry is going to hell, really. Why should people get paid until all eternity for work they fullfilled half a lifetime ago?

this society no longer respects our elders.......one of the reasons this country is falling off the clif

I hope I reach his age in my lifetime

he can't be too senile considering he's still called on to give interviews about his career as a record producer and about the history of music as a whole, where's he's still able to travel back in time and highlight landmark moments occured and how they occured...He can still talk about all the jazz greats in start detail

you say you're happen the industry is fucked

well, I take the exact opposite position because being indifferent lets those off the hook who destroyed it, and destroyed Michael Jackson in the process...

and the fact is Quincy was juked out.....that's what it comes down to

Scorp said:

PatrickS77 said:

Well, if there is a contract then I guess he got a point. But seriously, here is a near 100 year old, senile Quincy Jones sitting on his fat ass, while the others are doing the work and he wants money until all eternity. I mean he got hired 35 years ago to do that work. He did it and got compensated for it. He didn't work for free. At one point you'd think that he's gotten enough. Reading shit like that (and that applies to all "creative" work) I'm glad, that the fucking industry is going to hell, really. Why should people get paid until all eternity for work they fullfilled half a lifetime ago?

this society no longer respects our elders.......one of the reasons this country is falling off the clif

I hope I reach his age in my lifetime

he can't be too senile considering he's still called on to give interviews about his career as a record producer and about the history of music as a whole, where's he's still able to travel back in time and highlight landmark moments occured and how they occured...He can still talk about all the jazz greats in start detail

you say you're happen the industry is fucked

well, I take the exact opposite position because being indifferent lets those off the hook who destroyed it, and destroyed Michael Jackson in the process...

and the fact is Quincy was juked out.....that's what it comes down to

Thank you for dealing with an ill-advised post rife with self-contradictions. Quincy Jones' magic touch sent MJ from stardom to megastardom.

MJ fans sometimes want to believe MJ sat in a studio and produced those classic albums all by himself. You can't take Quincy out of the equation; legally, equitably or artistically.

namepeace said:

Scorp said:

this society no longer respects our elders.......one of the reasons this country is falling off the clif

I hope I reach his age in my lifetime

he can't be too senile considering he's still called on to give interviews about his career as a record producer and about the history of music as a whole, where's he's still able to travel back in time and highlight landmark moments occured and how they occured...He can still talk about all the jazz greats in start detail

you say you're happen the industry is fucked

well, I take the exact opposite position because being indifferent lets those off the hook who destroyed it, and destroyed Michael Jackson in the process...

and the fact is Quincy was juked out.....that's what it comes down to

Thank you for dealing with an ill-advised post rife with self-contradictions. Quincy Jones' magic touch sent MJ from stardom to megastardom.

MJ fans sometimes want to believe MJ sat in a studio and produced those classic albums all by himself. You can't take Quincy out of the equation; legally, equitably or artistically.

amen...and much peace to you

Thank you for dealing with an ill-advised post rife with self-contradictions. Quincy Jones' magic touch sent MJ from stardom to megastardom.

MJ fans sometimes want to believe MJ sat in a studio and produced those classic albums all by himself. You can't take Quincy out of the equation; legally, equitably or artistically.

This is correct. Respect for Quincy.

Scorp said:

namepeace said:

Thank you for dealing with an ill-advised post rife with self-contradictions. Quincy Jones' magic touch sent MJ from stardom to megastardom.

MJ fans sometimes want to believe MJ sat in a studio and produced those classic albums all by himself. You can't take Quincy out of the equation; legally, equitably or artistically.

amen...and much peace to you

JoeBala said:

Thank you for dealing with an ill-advised post rife with self-contradictions. Quincy Jones' magic touch sent MJ from stardom to megastardom.

MJ fans sometimes want to believe MJ sat in a studio and produced those classic albums all by himself. You can't take Quincy out of the equation; legally, equitably or artistically.

This is correct. Respect for Quincy.

Amen.

Quincy should be paid. What does his age have to do with anything? The work was done. If the songs are used, pay him, or pay his family after his death. Sheesh.

namepeace said:

Scorp said:

this society no longer respects our elders.......one of the reasons this country is falling off the clif

I hope I reach his age in my lifetime

he can't be too senile considering he's still called on to give interviews about his career as a record producer and about the history of music as a whole, where's he's still able to travel back in time and highlight landmark moments occured and how they occured...He can still talk about all the jazz greats in start detail

you say you're happen the industry is fucked

well, I take the exact opposite position because being indifferent lets those off the hook who destroyed it, and destroyed Michael Jackson in the process...

and the fact is Quincy was juked out.....that's what it comes down to

Thank you for dealing with an ill-advised post rife with self-contradictions. Quincy Jones' magic touch sent MJ from stardom to megastardom.

MJ fans sometimes want to believe MJ sat in a studio and produced those classic albums all by himself. You can't take Quincy out of the equation; legally, equitably or artistically.

Wow! That is so not what I said... what I said flew completely over your heads. My point was, he was hired to do some work. He was paid to do that work and he (like all people doing creative work in that industry and others) expects to get paid for that same work, done ages ago, until all eternity. They never get enough, even if they're almost a 100 years old. Why is creative work supposedly so much more "important" that they do expect to get paid again and again and again (and once they are dead, their children and grandchildren) until all eternity? Why do contracts get signed that give them the right to get paid over and over again for the same work even if the revenue doesn't really come out from the original work done?

My point never was, that without Quincy Michael would have or wouldn't have gone to where he did... but on second thought though, who's to say that he wouldn't... Quincy didn't write any songs, he just produced and suggested songwriters, who's to say that another producer wouldn't have done a great job as well?!

namepeace said:

Scorp said:

this society no longer respects our elders.......one of the reasons this country is falling off the clif

I hope I reach his age in my lifetime

he can't be too senile considering he's still called on to give interviews about his career as a record producer and about the history of music as a whole, where's he's still able to travel back in time and highlight landmark moments occured and how they occured...He can still talk about all the jazz greats in start detail

you say you're happen the industry is fucked

well, I take the exact opposite position because being indifferent lets those off the hook who destroyed it, and destroyed Michael Jackson in the process...

and the fact is Quincy was juked out.....that's what it comes down to

Thank you for dealing with an ill-advised post rife with self-contradictions. Quincy Jones' magic touch sent MJ from stardom to megastardom.

MJ fans sometimes want to believe MJ sat in a studio and produced those classic albums all by himself. You can't take Quincy out of the equation; legally, equitably or artistically.

.......and we can NOT erase Quincy out of history concerning We Are The World neither.

PatrickS77 said:

MadamGoodnight said:

Quincy should be paid. What does his age have to do with anything? The work was done. If the songs are used, pay him, or pay his family after his death. Sheesh.

Yes.

namepeace said:

Scorp said:

this society no longer respects our elders.......one of the reasons this country is falling off the clif

I hope I reach his age in my lifetime

he can't be too senile considering he's still called on to give interviews about his career as a record producer and about the history of music as a whole, where's he's still able to travel back in time and highlight landmark moments occured and how they occured...He can still talk about all the jazz greats in start detail

you say you're happen the industry is fucked

well, I take the exact opposite position because being indifferent lets those off the hook who destroyed it, and destroyed Michael Jackson in the process...

and the fact is Quincy was juked out.....that's what it comes down to

Thank you for dealing with an ill-advised post rife with self-contradictions. Quincy Jones' magic touch sent MJ from stardom to megastardom.

MJ fans sometimes want to believe MJ sat in a studio and produced those classic albums all by himself. You can't take Quincy out of the equation; legally, equitably or artistically.

Something I wouldn't dare do. I've read MJ's book many years ago, and he's given Quincy Jones a lot of credit and praise. In fact, he said that the "Thriller" album was the most stressful album they've done together, because of pressure from the label to meet the deadline. Too bad there was no collaboration, after "Bad".

[Edited 10/26/13 12:03pm]

Quincy Jones produced the greatest, quintessential r&b/soul album ever on wax

and produced the greatest selling album of all time

he more than deserves what he's asking for

A tiny bit suspicious that he sues the very day Forbes report MJ the highest earning dead celebrity of the year (and more than the living too). They also got sued a lot for a few things the very week it was reported that the estate had cleared MJ's debts.

If you're owed, you're owed, but line up behind creditors at the time.

Ellie said:

whatsgoingon said:

Ellie said:

A tiny bit suspicious that he sues the very day Forbes report MJ the highest earning dead celebrity of the year (and more than the living too). They also got sued a lot for a few things the very week it was reported that the estate had cleared MJ's debts.

If you're owed, you're owed, but line up behind creditors at the time.

Well to be fair to Q he is suing for profits after MJ death as opposed to when he was alive. The irony is however, is that the likes of CNN and BBC is giving this so much more publicity than the the Wade Robson allegations.

and that's what's being overlooked.....

Is it true he's suing for Thriller 25 also?

alphastreet said:

Please use the MJ sticky.

reported thread.