This week, Ghostface Killah filed a law suit against Universal Music Group to recoup unpaid royalties that were withheld in a supposed contract violation. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Wu-Tang Clan rapper claims that UMG holds a 25 percent stake in the group’s songs and not a 50 percent copyright interest, as the label purports. He is now seeking to recover royalties withheld by the music conglomerate.
Meanwhile, the rapper is currently fighting off a lawsuit brought by a Hollywood composer who isn’t happy with the way the hip hop artist sampled the “Iron Man Theme” back in 2000 on his ‘Supreme Clientele’ solo album.
Ghostface, producer RZA, and Sony Music are all being sued by Jack Urbont, a veteran Hollywood composer whose work included the “Iron Man Theme”, originally created for the 1960s television show, The Marvel Super Heroes. The composer objects to both the sampling and the fact that Killah has given himself a secondary nickname, ‘Tony Starks’ , which is a reference to Iron Man’s real name and true identity. While in court last Friday, Ghost’s lawyers explained that the judge should dismiss the suit because “Urbont’s allegations are barred by statues of limitations.”
