Why Is JoJo Suing Her Record Label? A User’s Guide

Sam Lansky | August 1, 2013 6:49 am

News broke yesterday that recording artist, occasional thespian and style icon Joanna Noëlle Blagden Levesque (better known as JoJo) — the only pop star who hasn’t dropped an album in nearly a decade who’s still certifiably better than your faves — has filed papers in New York State Supreme Court against her label, Blackground Records, for failing to release her third album.

But what exactly has Blackground done, besides be literally the worst? A more in-depth look at the suit (via Billboard) reveals quite a lot.

It’s a “Disaster”: Her original 2003 contract with Blackground — signed when she was 12 — could not bind her to the label for more than seven years, Jojo claims, citing state law.

They turned out to be the “Wrong Man For The Job”: The papers claim that Jo has been “dissatisfied with her professional relationship with the Da Family Entities and Blackground for many years,” for a string of reasons. Although she delivered “numerous” finished songs in excess of those needed for a third album, the label never released it (the worst); their Interscope distribution deal fell through (the worst); and they didn’t pay producers and vendors, which damaged her reputation in the industry.

I think we can all agree that she deserves “Billions”: Or at the very least, millions. The papers claim that she’s missing out on other professional opportunities — like touring, merch, brand endorsements, business contacts and good publicity. Stack that paper, Joanna.

“My Time Is Money,” says the erstwhile teen queen: The suit alleges that she’s running out of years to resonate with her tween audience — now, nearly a decade after first generating a fan base.

“Hollywood” is a sleazy town and they have left her “In The Dark”: Perhaps most disturbing of all? Jo says neither she nor her attorney ever got a copy of her contract. Oops.

I’m no lawyer, but to me? This sounds like a rock solid case. Say goodbye to the mixtape era, and say hello to a whole new Jo.

[via Billboard]

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