Ghostface Killah Sues Universal over Royalties, Hits Back in 'Iron Man' Lawsuit

BY Gregory AdamsPublished Aug 11, 2011

While it may not be the case that Ghostface Killah subscribes to his Wu-Tang Clan brethren's call of C.R.E.A.M. (cash rules everything around me), dude definitely wants to be paid for his work, which explains why he's suing Universal Music Group over royalty issues.

As Billboard reports, Ghostface filed a lawsuit yesterday (August 10) against the label, alleging that the company has violated its contract with him. The rapper asserts that UMG only holds a 25 percent stake in the Wu-Tang Clan's back catalogue, not the 50 percent share the label believes it deserves. Ghostface (born Dennis Coles) is suing to recover royalties in what we assume the rapper thinks is a bum deal.

Killah had previously won a similar case against Wu leader RZA back in 2007 that found the group had been withholding publishing rights.

Ghostface is becoming quite a legal eagle these days, as he's also hit back at last month's lawsuit that accused him of misappropriating composer Jacques "Jack" Urbont's 1966 theme song for an Iron Man cartoon series. The suit called out the rapper for not properly attributing the work on his 2000 Supreme Clientele album, but Ghostface has argued he's covered under a statute of limitations.

Since the album came out over ten years ago to much fanfare, the defendant wants to know why it took so long for Urbont to file suit. A decision has yet to be made on the case.

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