Record producer Kenneth Darnell Franklin has filed a multiple-count copyright infringement and breach-of-contract lawsuit against Percy Miller (aka Master P), his label, No Limit Records, Priority Records, and Capitol/EMI Music, among others.
The suit – filed last week in Los Angeles Superior Court – alleges that material by rapper Clifton Dickson (aka Lil Italy) appeared without permission on the 1999 No Limit/Priority release “On Top of Da World.” The album, which reached No. 20 on Billboard’s Top R&B Albums chart, has sold 76,000 units in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan.
The suit claims that Franklin, who does business as K-Lou Records, has exclusive “sound recording and mechanical copyrights” to Dickson’s works. He seeks the court’s affirmation of those rights and undisclosed damages.
Franklin is requesting an accounting of unpaid royalties for an unidentified separate album with No Limit, according to the suit.
An EMI spokesperson declined comment.