Cam’ron sues J. Cole, claiming he owes him $500,000 for ‘Ready ’24’

The platinum-selling rapper Cam’ron filed a lawsuit alleging that fellow hip-hop star J. Cole “refused to honor” a music agreement “Ready ’24”which appeared on his fourth mixtape Paste Might Delete Laterlaunched last year.

In his complaint, filed Tuesday in Manhattan federal court and obtained by Rolling Stone, Cam’ron claims he received no payment for his work on the collaboration. He was credited only as a co-author of the composition, not as a performer, although his vocals appear on the track. The musician, whose legal name is Cameron Gilesis asking a judge to declare him co-author of the sound recording. He also wants an order directing Paste and the Universal Music Group to audit royalties from “Ready ’24” so he can receive his “proportionate share,” the lawsuit states. (Representatives of Paste and the UMG did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.)

In the seven-page process, Giles accuses Paste to go back on other promises related to collaboration. He claims that his contributions to “Ready ’24” came with “certain specified conditions,” including “final approval” before the song’s release. He says that Paste also agreed to collaborate with him on a future single.

Giles states that he and Paste recorded “Ready ’24” in June 2022 in New York City. He told Paste at the time that the song could not be released until Paste participate in a future single with him. He claims that Paste initially agreed, but later backed off when Giles asked him to participate in one of the two songs that Giles had previously recorded. Paste reportedly said he “would rather” collaborate on a song they created together.

“The collaboration never materialized despite due request from the author,” the lawsuit states. Giles claims that when he contacted Paste again in July 2023, Paste said that “instead of collaborating on future music,” he wanted to appear on Giles, It Is What It Is. Between July 2023 and April 2024, Giles and Paste continued to communicate, but Paste “repeatedly” said he was unavailable to appear on the podcast, the lawsuit alleges.

Paste launched “Ready ’24” in April 2024, with the Warner Chappell Music recording the composition, but not the sound recording. Giles believes he is owed at least US$500,000 (approximately R$2 million at current exchange rates) for his share of the music royalties, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit alleges that Giles he also deserves attorneys’ fees and any “additional relief the court deems just and appropriate.”

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