6 min read
The Cordae lawsuit landed at the worst possible moment for a celebration.
Cordae and Anderson .Paak are set to release their joint album Heavy Is the Crown on October 23.
Now a federal court is being asked to block that release entirely.
Major Takeaways
- MMMG Inc. filed a 25 million dollar federal lawsuit against Cordae on October 15.
- The label says a 2018 deal still gives it ownership of his recordings and other rights.
- The suit seeks five million over the single A Good Day and fifteen million for alleged contract breaches.
- It also seeks five million from the companies releasing the album for alleged interference.
- Anderson .Paak is not named personally as a defendant in the case.
- Heavy Is the Crown remains scheduled for October 23 as of the latest reports.
A Lawsuit Filed Eight Days Before Release Day
MMMG Inc. filed the complaint in federal court in the Southern District of New York.
The filing came on October 15, just eight days before the album release date.
The defendants are Cordae, EMPIRE Distribution, APESHIT and Mass Appeal Records.
Those companies are behind the planned release through channels outside MMMG.
The claims are copyright infringement, breach of contract and tortious interference.
MMMG is also asking the court for an injunction against the release.
An injunction could stop the album from arriving on Friday if granted.
The label is seeking a jury trial as well.
Filing a lawsuit alone does not automatically stop a release from happening.
That question now sits with a judge while fans wait for Friday.
What The Label Says The 2018 Deal Promised
MMMG says Cordae signed an exclusive recording agreement in April 2018.
His legal name is Cordae Amari Dunston.
The label does business publicly under the name Art@WAR.
Music executive and attorney James McMillan founded MMMG in 2017.
Through Atlantic Records and Art@WAR, McMillan signed Cordae in 2018.
YBN Nahmir and YBN Almighty Jay were signed in that same period.
MMMG says the deal gives it ownership of recordings made during its term.
It also claims exclusive rights tied to merchandise, touring and endorsements.
The label says it invested enormous time, money and other resources in his career.
That language comes directly from the complaint itself.
Cordae most recent solo album Crossroads arrived in 2024.
Crossroads was released through Art@WAR and Atlantic Records.
The Money Breaks Down In Three Parts
The 25 million dollar total is split across three separate claims.
Five million dollars is sought over alleged copyright infringement tied to A Good Day.
A Good Day is the lead single from Heavy Is the Crown.
The single arrived on September 16 ahead of the album.
Fifteen million dollars is sought for alleged breaches of the contract.
That part includes claims about revenue the label says was withheld for years.
It includes merchandise sales and other entertainment ventures named in the filing.
Five million more is sought from the other companies for alleged interference.
MMMG says it sent cease and desist letters to the parties in August.
Those letters warned the album would infringe its copyrights and violate the contract.
The label says the single was still released despite those warnings.
The Other Side Points To A Distribution Change
The heart of the dispute is whether the 2018 agreement is still in effect.
Atlantic Records ended its distribution relationship with MMMG in 2025.
MMMG says its contract allowed six months to secure another distributor.
It says it reached a replacement arrangement with Stem within days.
It says Cordae attorneys were notified of that arrangement in early September.
Cordae legal team argues the Stem arrangement did not satisfy the required terms.
His team says the deal was invalid without an inducement letter agreeing to its terms.
MMMG says no such letter is required under the agreement.
It also says his challenge came only after a deadline to object had passed.
None of these claims have been decided in court yet.
Both readings of one old contract now decide a brand new album.
A Partnership Years In The Making
Heavy Is the Crown is listed as an 11 track project for Friday.
It is the first full length album from Cordae and Anderson .Paak together.
Their creative partnership began with the song RNP in 2019.
RNP appeared as an early standout and introduced their chemistry to many listeners.
They teamed up again on Two Tens and later on Summer Drop.
Each record built demand for a complete project from the pair.
The new album is inspired by their real friendship.
It also takes inspiration from the cult comedy film Step Brothers.
That playful bond is central to how the rollout has been presented.
Fans have waited years to hear that chemistry stretched across a full album.
The Celebration Still Moves Forward In West Hollywood
While lawyers argue in New York, the release celebration is still scheduled in Los Angeles.
A Fatburger album block party is set for October 25 in West Hollywood.
The event runs from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. outside the location at 7450 Santa Monica Boulevard.
Two menu items were built the way the duo likes them.
The .Paak Burger stacks two turkey burgers with cheese, tomato, ketchup and mustard.
The Cordae Sando is a fried chicken sandwich with cheese, BBQ sauce and bacon.
Fans can also shop limited edition merch and take in live entertainment.
Music has been part of Fatburger DNA since day one, Jessica DePrizio said.
DePrizio is Senior Director of Marketing for Fatburger.
Ticket proceeds benefit the Brandon Anderson Foundation.
The foundation was founded by Anderson .Paak to support local youth.
It supports young people through scholarships, music, culture and community events.
Why This Fight Matters Beyond One Album
For Black artists, the contract signed at the start can shape everything that follows.
Cordae was a rising young artist when the 2018 agreement was signed.
Questions about recordings, merchandise, touring and endorsements reach far beyond one release week.
Ownership decides who gets paid when a song travels around the world.
Ownership also decides who can approve new music and when it can arrive.
Stories like this are why so many artists now push for ownership and shorter terms.
They are also why young artists are urged to bring independent counsel to every signing.
None of that decides who is right in this particular case.
Only the court can weigh the contract language and the timeline.
What is clear is the cost of getting that language wrong.
A celebration years in the making now shares its week with a courtroom fight.
Fans can find more coverage in our Entertainment section.
Read our recent story on Lil Baby and his Fresh album announcement for another major fall release.
Our Cardi B Tiny Desk coverage also shows an artist fully owning her moment.
For now, Heavy Is the Crown is still set for October 23.
Urban City Podcast will follow both the release and the court case as they unfold.
