Quincy Jones Sues Michael Jackson’s Estate

Quincy Jones isn’t feelin’ the fact that he hasn’t been paid……

Composition producer Quincy Jones has filed a suit against Michael Jackson’s estate, claiming that he is owed millions in royalties and production fees on some of the superstar’s greatest hits.

Jones seeks at least $ 10m from the singer’s estate and Sony Composition Entertainment, claiming that the entities improperly re-edited songs to deprive him of royalties and production fees. The composition has been used in the film This Is It and in a pair of Cirque du Soleil shows based on the King of Pop’s songs, the lawsuit states.

Jones also claims that he should have received a producer’s credit on the composition in This Is It. His lawsuit seeks an accounting of the estate’s profits from the works so that Jones can determine how much he is owed.

The producer worked with Jackson on three of his most successful solo albums: Off the Wall, Thriller and Terrible.

Jackson’s estate wrote in a statement that it was saddened by Jones’ lawsuit. “To the best of [our] information, Mr Jones has been appropriately compensated over approximately 35 years for his work with Michael,” the statement said.

An after-hours message left at Sony Composition’s New York offices was not immediately returned.

Jackson’s hits Billie Jean, Thriller and Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough are among the songs Jones claims were re-edited to deprive him of royalties and his producer’s fee.

Jones’s lawsuit states that the producing contracts he signed called for him to have the first opportunity to re-edit or alter the songs, in part to protect his reputation.