Cyrus Langhorne
Music mogul Jay Z‘s Roc Nation powerhouse has reportedly lashed back at estranged artist Rita Ora for breaking her recording contract.
According to reports, the Roc believes Rita did not deliver on releasing new albums and filed a $2.4 million lawsuit against her.
In the new suit, Roc Nation counters that it’s spent over $2 million developing and marketing the British pop singer’s still-unreleased second album. The label says the British ”X Factor” judge was supposed to deliver a total of five albums when she signed with Roc Nation in 2008, but has only put out one. (Page Six)
Reports last December revealed Ora filed a complaint against her record company Roc Nation.
“When Rita signed, Roc Nation and its senior executives were very involved with her as an artist,” states the complaint. “As Roc Nation’s interests diversified, there were fewer resources available and the company suffered a revolving door of executives. Rita’s remaining supporters at the label left or moved on to other activities, to the point where she no longer had a relationship with anyone at the company.” (Billboard)
Additional reports claimed Rita had to pay out of pocket for various business-related expenses.
Ora (now living in California) says she’s on her own, “self-funding her promotional television appearances, recording costs and video projects,” but she has a problem. In 2013, Roc Nation switched its distribution partner from Sony to Universal, but according to the lawsuit, she’s been left behind at Sony, which she paints as “hamstrung” by Roc Nation’s alleged inattention. (Billboard)
