Missy Elliott settles copyright lawsuit with alleged co-writer
Missy Elliott has settled a lawsuit with a music producer who claimed he co-wrote various songs from the early days of her career. An agreement was struck in a Philadelphia federal courtroom on August 22nd.
The lawsuit was filed by Terry Williams, who alleged the superstar rapper refused to credit him for helping to write songs. A jury trial was set to begin, but a settlement was reached instead.
In a statement to Billboard, Elliott’s lawyer, Mike Trauben, said, “No money was paid in connection with any of Terry Williams’ claims, the last remnants of which were dismissed.”
He added that a “small sum” was paid to purchase Williams’ beats that were used in songs created and owned by Elliott. “Missy’s writings in her notebooks were returned back to her, along with all her music that he had in storage,” Trauben said.
The lawsuit was initially filed in 2018 regarding music on 4 All the Sistas Around da World, the debut album from Elliott’s R&B group, Sista.
Seeking royalties, Williams claimed Elliott wrongly left him out of songwriting credits. But according to the rapper, he “did not write a single lyric or in any manner contribute to any of the songs.”
She even went as far as saying she hadn’t met Williams until the album was completed and in the hands of her label.
4 All the Sistas Around Da World was released in 1994. The project was distributed through Elektra Records, with production from Timbaland and DeVante Swing. It included the single ‘Brand New’.
Timbaland was also named in the lawsuit, in addition to Elektra, Atlantic Records, Warner Music Group, and Reservoir Media.
Elliott went on to release her debut solo album, Supa Dupa Fly, several years later, which debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 chart.