Pete Rock Plans To Sue Nas Over Unpaid "Illmatic" Royalties: Report

Rock claims that he’s been attempting to get Nas and his team to pay up for decades but now, he’s preparing a lawsuit.

Lawsuits and court cases aren’t unfamiliar in Hip Hop and this time, it looks as if two of the genre’s icons are at the center of controversy. When it comes to collecting their monies owed, rappers don’t mess around. Unpaid royalties are often the focus of artists taking their fellow creators or labels to court, and according to Page Six, Pete Rock is preparing to sue Nas.

This suit is taking things way back to 1994 when Nas released his stellar debut studio album, Illmatic. The classic record continues to reach heights in Top 10 lists, but Rock claims someone needs to write him a check.

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According to Page Six, Rock alleges Nas signed a contract “that would allow the producer a cut of the proceeds from the classic track ‘The World Is Yours,’ a total that’s now in the millions of dollars.” The famed producer has a writing credit on the record and added vocals, and Rock made claims that he has attempted to collect from Nas but nothing materialized.

Now, it doesn’t seem that Pete Rock has yet to file the lawsuit, but it’s reported that he’s preparing to make things official sometime this month. “Nas and his people have stonewalled me since 1994; My New Year’s resolution is to be compensated for my hard work on ‘Illmatic,'” Rock said in a statement.

Hip Hop fans are hoping this one can work out without the courts getting involved. We’ll keep you updated on the progress of this case. Revisit Illmatic below.

[via]