Dr. Luke Says Kesha Owes $1.3 Million in Unpaid Royalties

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Summary: Dr. Luke and Kesha’s court battle isn’t over. 

Last August, pop star Kesha may have dropped her rape lawsuit against producer Dr. Luke, but it appears as if the fighting isn’t over. She has since claimed that Dr. Luke has tried to financially ruin her as revenge for her allegations. On Monday, Dr. Luke filed a counterclaim that Kesha owes him money.

  

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“Plaintiffs have paid Kesha her royalties for all relevant accounting periods, while Kesha baselessly refuses to pay Plaintiffs the much larger sums she owes them,” a memorandum obtained by The Hollywood Reporter stated. “In December 2016 alone, Defendant received payments under her contracts with Plaintiffs in excess of $650,000. In sharp contrast, Defendant admits that she owes Plaintiff KMI over $1.3 million in ancillary royalties that she has failed to pay.”

In his counterclaim, Dr. Luke gave details about Kesha’s contract and royalty structures as a rebuttal to her claims that he has not helped her with her new material. When she dropped her sexual abuse lawsuit in August, she submitted new music to be released as part of her original contract’s obligations. She stated that he has actively tried to sabotage her new album to hurt her career.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, royalty rates are rarely addressed in court papers. If they are, those specifics tend to be under seal or redacted. In this case, though, Dr. Luke’s attorneys Christine Lepera and Jeffrey Movit argue that because Kesha and her mother said that they “would be penniless” because of the litigation with Dr. Luke, it opened the door to this public accounting.

Dr. Luke said that Kesha had agreed to give him 10 percent of her net receipts from any exploitation of her name and likeness, which includes posters or t-shirts. She also owes Dr. Luke and his company Kasz Money 10 percent of her net tour receipts or 5 percent of adjusted gross tour receipts. It is noted that Kesha has not released music in years, but she appeared at places such as Coachella in 2016 and earned money there.

Dr. Luke has claimed that although Kesha owes him almost $1.3 million in royalties, his court fight isn’t about money. It is about clearing his name.

“Defendant also would have this Court – and the press and public – believe that Gottwald has interfered with her recording process and has prevented her from recording new music,” Dr Luke’s memorandum stated. “Nothing could be further from the truth. As Kesha’s proposed counterclaim concedes, she is recording in the studio with producers of her choosing and preparation is underway for the release of her next album. Gottwald has not interfered in any way with her recording process; and there is no factual allegation (as opposed to bare conclusion) to the contrary in Kesha’s proposed pleading. The fact that Gottwald never forfeited his rights as CEO of Kemosabe Records does not – and cannot – give rise to any new counterclaim.”

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Photo courtesy of E Online

• Related: Kesha Files to Drop Sexual Abuse Lawsuit against Dr. Luke
• Related: Kesha Fighting to Be Free of Music Contract with Dr. Luke 
• Related: Kesha’s Career Effectively Over without Injunction against Dr. Luke

What do you think of Kesha and Dr. Luke’s legal battle? Let us know in the comments below.