Akon’s former business partner is suing the singer for refusing to pay him $4 million.
Music executive Devyne Stephens, who helped launch Akon’s career, claims he is still owed $750,000 and at least $3 million in royalties, according to an amended complaint filed in the 2021 Manhattan Supreme Court.
As part of the terms of their 2018 settlement agreement, Akon agreed to pay Stephens $3.25 million over the course of four years but he still hasn’t paid the final installment of $750,000.
In documents, obtained by Page Six, he alleges that Akon sabotaged his relationship with Atlantic Records in order to get out of paying Stephens royalties for four future albums while signed to a “major” label.
Akon claims he shouldn’t be responsible for Stephens’ 20 percent of royalties since he is now under BMG Records. However, Stephens argues that Akon is still under obligation to pay the royalties since he allegedly intentionally breached his contract with Atlantic and since BMG “by any objective metric, is a ‘major’ record label.”
“Akon has spent the better part of a decade frustrating Stephens’ attempts to obtain large amounts of money which Akon unambiguously promised in contracts to pay Stephens,” state the court documents.
This is the third time that Stephens, the former vice president of Akon’s Konvict Muzik label, has taken Akon to court. In 2017, Stephens sued the “Don’t Matter” singer for $150 million in unpaid fees.
