Madlib, the longtime producer who made his name early on as part of the Stones Throw Records label, filed a lawsuit against his former manager, Eothen “Egon” Alapatt. According to the complaint, Madlib is alleging that Egon engaged in business practices detrimental to their partnership.
In a pitch we received earlier this week, Madlib, real name Otis Jackson Jr., filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Thursday (October 31), which was also the anniversary of the passing of Madlib’s collaborative partner in Madvillainy, Daniel “MF DOOM” Dumile.
In our examination of the complaint, the producer alleges that Alapatt engaged in murky dealings that led to the pair exiting Stones Throw Records in 2010. Madlib took on Egon as a manager at this point which led to the creation of two related companies, Madcine Show and Rappcats. Alapatt was slated to run the business operations along with co-founder and recording engineer Jeffrey “Jeff Jank” Carlson, also named in the lawsuit.
Alapatt also helms Now-Again Records, which Jackson’s complaint alleges was pt into place as a go-between for business deals that were in place for Jackson. However, Jackson says Alapatt only sought to benefit himself and his singular business.
“Not only was EGON not performing these duties, but he was also engaged in rank self-dealing, concealing information from and repeatedly breaching his duties to Madlib, and otherwise engaging in persistent and pervasive mismanagement,” a portion of the complaint reads.
The suit further adds that Alapatt forced Jackson “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.”
Alapatt has yet to publicly respond to the complaint.
This comes after the widow of MF DOOM, Jasmine Dumile Thompson, claimed that Alapatt took over two dozen rhyme notebooks belonging to the beloved lyricist containing songs that were never released. Alapatt is reportedly hoping to donate the notebooks to an archive, going against the wishes of DOOM’s widow.
The complaint can be viewed by following this link.
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