This is a case of Hip-Hop royalties gone wrong.
Complex reports that legendary producer Pete Rock has plans in motion to sue rapper Nas over a claim of unpaid royalties for his involvement with the production of “Illmatic.”
In the claims, Pete Rock alleges that he was never paid for his work on the groundbreaking album that was released in 1994. Not only did he produce the renowned track “The World Is Yours,” but he is also credited for helping to write the hit.
“Nas and his people have stonewalled me since 1994,” said Pete Rock in an interview with Page Six. “My New Year’s resolution is to be compensated for my hard work on Illmatic.”
The Lawsuit
According to details from Pete Rock’s legal team, the producer signed a contract stating that he would receive a portion of the royalties that pertained to “The World Is Yours.” The claim today is that he should have received millions of dollars which the producer’s team says hasn’t happened.
Although it’s been 25 years since the release of the track, “The World Is Yours,” has been featured as a sample for around 100 songs that include tracks from rappers like Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Jay-Z, and more. The pair even went on to work together beyond the debut LP when Nas featured Pete Rock on two more tracks, “The Art Of It” and “Queensbridge Politics,” both featured on his 2019 compilation album, “The Lost Tapes.”
What's Next?
Per Pete Rock’s legal team, the producer and his team have made several attempts at receiving the royalties that he claims are owed to him from his work on “Illmatic.” Instead, they’ve been met with silence. So, he has decided to take the next step in an attempt to get the funds through a legal case.
The lawsuit is reportedly set to be filed later this month.
