Madlib is suing his former manager, Eothen “Egon” Alapatt, accusing him of “rank self-dealing,” “engaging in persistent and pervasive mismanagement,” and unduly profiting from his involvement in the musician’s business affairs. Madlib filed his lawsuit in a Los Angeles court on October 31, marking the fourth anniversary of MF Doom’s death. Doom’s widow, Jasmine Dumile Thompson, is also involved in an ongoing lawsuit against Egon.
In the lawsuit, Madlib and his legal team explain that both he and Egon departed Stones Throw Records in 2010. At that point, Madlib says, he retained Egon as his manager, entrusting him to create and operate the business entities Madicine Show and Rappcats. (Madlib also names Rappcats co-founder Jeffrey “Jeff Jank” Carlson as a defendant in the lawsuit.)
Madlib alleges that he only recently discovered “several accounting irregularities” involving Madicine Show and Rappcats that occurred between 2018 and mid-2022. He also says he was unable to find “any backup documentation for, among other things, payments to EGON, JANK and others as ‘consulting,’ ‘commissions,’ ‘fees’ or ‘reimbursements’ (totaling in the several hundred thousands of dollars).”
Further, Madlib claims that Egon “improperly inserted” his own record label, the former Stones Throw subsidiary Now-Again Records, into business affairs involving Madicine Show. And he also alleges that Egon “locked [him] out of several key music business platforms that he should have access to including but not limited to Ingrooves, Apple Music, Bandcamp, and YouTube as well as MADLIB’s own Facebook account and the Instagram account for his QUASIMOTO character.”
Madlib is seeking the judicially assisted wind-up and dissolution of Madicine Show and Rappcats, an award of punitive and exemplary damages for Egon and Now-Again’s alleged breach of fiduciary duty, and a declaration from the court that none of the defendants “own or has any continuing right or interest” in his recorded music, professional career, registered trademarks, and name and likeness. He and his team have also requested a jury trial.
Jeff Jank and Kenneth D. Freundlich, the attorney representing Egon in his dispute with Jasmine Dumile Thompson, did not immediately respond to Pitchfork’s requests for comment.
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