LOS ANGELES – A hip-hop artist alleges he was not compensated by YG for his use of the plaintiff's material.
Henry Richard Russell filed a complaint on Jan. 4 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against Keenon Jackson, also known as YG; YG 400 Ways Inc., doing business as YG 400 Publishing; Dijon Isaiah McFarlane; Songs Music Publishing CA LLC; UMG Recordings Inc., doing business as Def Jam Recordings; and Does 1-10 alleging copyright infringement.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff, who is professionally known as Grimmis, collaborated on YG's "My Krazy Life" album with the understanding Russell would be compensated with a sharing of revenues. The plaintiff holds Jackson, also known as YG; YG 400 Ways Inc., doing business as YG 400 Publishing; McFarlane; Songs Music Publishing CA LLC; UMG Recordings Inc., doing business as Def Jam Recordings; and Does 1-10 responsible because the defendants allegedly continued to publicly use plaintiff's songs despite plaintiff's cease request and did not compensate him for his works.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks damages, actual damages, profits, injunction against the defendant, punitive damages, all legal fees and any other relief as the court deems just. He is represented by Joseph P. Costa and Lindsay Cinotto of Costa, Besser & Childress LLP in Pacific Palisades.
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California Case number 2:17-cv-00053-RAO