Jada Kingdom is facing a multi-million dollar defamation lawsuit from her management company, Pop Style Music Publishing and her manager, whose name in the lawsuit is listed as ‘Pop Style.’
Ronald Young, Attorney-at-law from the law firm Young Law, filed the lawsuit on behalf of Pop Style and his company at the Supreme Court in Downtown Kingston. The lawsuit comes after recent explosive comments made by Jada Kingdom, whose real name is Jada Ashanti Murphy, alleged in an Instagram video last week that her manager was robbing her for years as she details the many instances that she has not been able to earn income from her music or publishing and her streaming.
The Manager and management company is suing for libel based on Jada Kingdom’s comments made on April 13, accusing them of “scam.”
According to the Claim Form and Particulars of claim filed in the suit, Pop Style and his company allege that Kingdom went on her social media platform and “knowingly made false allegations which suggested that her manager and management team were dishonorable in their financial dealings with her.”
The documents went on to say that at the time the defendant Jada Kingdom made the allegations to her large fan base, she “knew the claims she made are damaging and false.”
The lawsuit wants Jada Kingdom to pay general damages, interest on damages, and also to issue a public apology to her management team and its Principal.
In an affidavit filed along with the Claim form and Particulars of claim, the manager says he has worked with the artiste for the past four years, and he has “done nothing but believe in the artiste and support her on an emotional, financial and professional level.”
While some news media are quoting the lawsuit as being filed by Kingdom’s manager, the artiste said on the alleged incriminating video that she is currently out of management and looking to rebuild a new team to manage her.
The lawsuit went on to say that the contract that exists between Jada and the management is one that is “normal” in the music industry. He added that the agreement between Kingdom and the team permits him to recoup his investment against her future earnings.
Additionally, the investments he has made in Kingdom’s career to date are substantially unrecouped.
The ex-manager also says he was shocked to hear Kingdom “spew such libelous bile and defamatory untruths” about him “in her recent Instagram Live rant is appalling and something she should be ashamed of.”
He added that Kingdom cannot deny that he has made a positive impact on her career and personal life.
So far, Jada Kingdom has not responded to the lawsuit. Based on the legal process, she has 42 days to file an acknowledgment of service and defense in the lawsuit.
In the video that the ex-manager references, Jada Kingdom did not call names but her emphasis on seeking new management and allegations that those closest to her were stealing from her led fans to believe that her comments were directed to her manager
“It very f**king f**k up…You’re working so hard, you see where mi come from, like, very f**king upsetting, very sad,” she began. “But all mi a seh is, I just can’ wait for this next chapter in my life. We’re going crazy, but for now mi just ah deal with everything the right way, I’m looking for new management, new team, everything.”
The artiste says she has retained lawyers who are handling the matter and she is also now reassembling everything, which includes new booking information and working out her new music, which is around 30-50 song catalog. She says she is working on a new album that is almost finished, but she has certain loose ends to tie up to ensure that the album is not tied up in controversy or that the manager lays claim to income from it.
“Mi lawyers are very active and we’re going to win. We God Bless. But mi need fi wait for certain things clear up, guys mi barely see dollar from my music…right now mi sit down pon over 10 hit songs but mi nah drop them because it’s like why mi woulda release music mi nah go gain off of. You understand. So that’s why I said I would wait and don’t drop no music even if I don’t have to drop music this year.”
Jada Kingdom burst out on the scene as a talented 20-year-old in 2017 when she first featured in Sean Kingston’s “One Away” as his love interest. Her debut song “Love Situations” was released on July 21, 2017. She quickly drew the attention of those in the industry as one to watch with her EP “Wull On,” which led to Universal Music signed and released her two singles, “Wull On” and “Best You Ever Had.”
The artist says she has been putting in the work over the years but feels like she is not making strides in her career or the music industry.
“Sleepless nights a studio and work like f**king hog, never even deh deh, they are never around but when money come around they want to scrape and thief,” she began. “Mi feel mi put in too much for all of this. And the same people weh a see you go through so much f*ckery are the ones putting you in this.”
Kingdom also alleged that she has been denied any access to financial statements from the digital platforms or direct access to log into the accounts to know what her earnings are. She also said she was an independent artist and was not under contract, but no money came to her but rather to her management.
“I remember two years ago, mi a ask and mi a say, like how a me alone deh pon the road. How mi nuh have a team, like what really a gwan, everything was a set up this entire. This person would only use people weh him know fi do certain things fi me. Tell me say ‘oh artiste can’t have access to them YouTube and dem iTunes, Spotify,’ this that don’t happen,” she said.
She did say, however, that she was signed to a distribution contract, but she does not know what the details are, and how much money the distribution contract is making from her music, or how much of it she gets in income versus what the distribution company gets.
