Wiz Khalifa has filed a lawsuit against his former manager, Benjy Grinberg, and his record label, Rostrum Records, in an attempt to end his long-standing “360” deal.
In a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Khalifa maintained that Grinberg and Rostrum acted as “faithless fiduciaries in direct contravention of their obligations to him”.
Grinberg began representing the Pittsburgh rapper in 2004, when he was 16. The lawsuit maintains that Grinberg and his label “induced” him to enter into a “360 agreement”. The deal stated that Khalifa would be exclusive to Rostrum and they would share in his income streams as a songwriter as well as income
from touring merchandise.
Wiz and his attorney are suggesting that Grinberg deliberately failed to mention other business options that could have been good for the rapper at this point in his career.
In 2014 Wiz dropped Grinberg, but has continued to work with Rostrum Records which Wiz is now saying was negotiated without his best interests in mind.
Benjy Grinberg has responded to the allegations, saying that he was “very disappointed and surprised”.
Grinberg went on to add,
“To witness an artist turn on you after supporting them for a number of years is very disheartening. This is an egregious lawsuit filled with inaccuracies, yet unfortunately people sometimes resort to these practices as a way of conducting business.”
It’s reported that Wiz Khalifa is seeking compensatory damages in excess of $1 million dollars, as well as to dissolve his contract with the company.
