Dr. Dre Disputes Royality Payments!!!

Legendary hip-hop star Dr. Dre has launched a legal bid to view documents belonging to his former label Death Row Records in a dispute over unpaid royalties.

Dre - real name Andre Young - filed legal papers in Los Angeles' U.S. Bankruptcy Court last Tuesday (05Feb08), requesting a court order for the now defunct label to hand over contracts and other documents to help determine the total amount owed to him since the label filed for bankruptcy in April 2006.

Young started up Death Row Records with music mogul Marion 'Suge' Knight in 1991, but sold his 50 per cent share in the company in 1996.

However, he retained the rights to royalties on recordings released before the agreement. He is seeking to reclaim the rights to his 1992 solo debut "The Chronic," after the label's control was placed in the hands of a bankruptcy trustee in July 2006.

Young also alleges Death Row broke an agreement with him by allowing another company distribution rights to his recordings. He wants Death Row to turn over the relative documents by 29 February (08) and have representatives available for deposition on 7 March (08).

The news comes just days after it was revealed music giant Warner is making a $25 million bid for Death Row's back catalogue, which includes hits by rap icons Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube. Death Row folded in 2006 with debts of $137 million and assets worth just $4.4 million.
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