The So So Def founder has ended his federal lawsuit against Sony Music Entertainment after the two sides told the court they had resolved the matter.
Jermaine Dupri and his So So Def companies have dropped a lawsuit that sought at least $18 million from Sony Music Entertainment over disputed royalty payments.
Dupri, So So Def Recordings and So So Def Productions filed the case July 6 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The complaint accused Sony of underreporting or withholding royalties connected to recordings involving artists including Kris Kross, Xscape, Da Brat and Jagged Edge.
On Aug. 28, Dupri’s attorney filed a voluntary dismissal stating that the parties had resolved the matter. The case was dismissed without prejudice, meaning the claims were not decided on their merits and could potentially be brought again. Sony had not filed a response to the allegations before the dismissal.
The filing does not disclose the terms of the resolution, whether Sony made any payment, or whether any royalty-accounting practices changed.
The original complaint said a 2025 audit uncovered alleged royalty discrepancies and sought at least $18 million plus interest and attorneys’ fees. Those claims were allegations and were never adjudicated by the court.
The dispute highlights a longstanding issue in the music business: how artists, producers and labels verify royalty accounting under decades-old recording agreements.