Court Finds Cassper Nyovest Guilty Of Unpaid Royalties

Court Finds Cassper Nyovest Guilty Of Unpaid Royalties. Cassper has made a reputation of being a smart businessman outside of making music but the rapper has been found wanting following a court ruling.

According to City Press, DJ Sumbody won a court judgment directing Cassper to pay more than R147 000 in royalties for their 2018 collaboration, Remote Control.

The publication reported that DJ Sumbody filed an ex-parte application at the Johannesburg High Court in November 2021 regarding unpaid royalties for his collaboration with Cassper Nyovest, Remote Control, without giving any notice to the other parties and without their presence. The song was then featured in a Samsung commercial in 2021 with Cassper Nyovest.

According to a ruling by the Johannesburg High Court, DJ Sumbody and Cassper Nyovest reached a “valid and binding” agreement about the track’s royalties in 2018. “The respondents agree and undertake to provide the applicant with all the signed details they entered into and any other third party within three days of the signature of the agreement,” read papers of DJ Sumbody’s application. 

The article also stated that the contract at issue is valued at about R5 million, and Cassper Nyovest’s team has apparently agreed to suggest a “payment arrangement” between the parties.

“The respondents agree to propose a payment arrangement within five days of the date of signature of this agreement; the arrangement to be agreed between the applicant and the respondents.”

“If no agreement can be reached between the applicant and the respondents, the respondents agree that the applicant is granted leave to approach this honourable court on the same papers and duly supplemented, for the honourable court to determine the exact monetary amount in rand value to be immediately paid to the applicant.”

However, Lesego Chaka, the managing director of Tailor Made Legal Solutions, the company that is representing DJ Sumbody, said that it is regrettable that such an uncomplicated situation has progressed to this point.

“We do not have any further comment, save to intensify our support for all entertainers who have been taken advantage of in relation to royalties, among other entitlements,” he said.

“We will be pursuing all other income, as the ruling confirms our client’s position and that of other entertainers in his position.”