Even in the slammer, Prodigy expects the money to roll in for him and Havoc.
The duo, better known as Mobb Deep, recently filed a lawsuit against their former manager and owner of StreetCore Music, Norman Bell aka “Purfek Storm.” The lawsuit in question comes from a 25-page document that was released by TMZ.
In the document, Prodigy and Havoc both assert that Bell knowingly and willingly released a plethora of unauthorized records from the group that landed on mix tapes with the intent to profit. In addition, the pair alleges that Bell used their image and trademark name for promotion without permission.
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Bell, who was their manager from May of 2004 to November of 2007, is believed to have distributed the unauthorized tracks through the following releases: Mobb Deep The Infamous Archives, Mobb Deep The Mix Tape Before 9/11 and Purfek Storm Mix Tape Volumes 1 & 3.
All four mix tapes were released within the same time period of which Bell was their operating manager.
However, Mobb Deep states that their agreement—which was oral rather than a standard written contract— for Bell to become their manager never warranted him the power to distribute unreleased material.
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The stated breach of contract includes copyright infringement, trademark counterfeiting, trademark infringement and trademark dilution, among others, where upon Bell is subject for fault. Mobb Deep demands that along with royalties Bell pay “$1,000,000 per mark for each type of good in connection with which Defendants used counterfeits of the Mobb Deep trademark,” as well as destroying all said products.
Bell could not be reached for comment.
HipHopDX will keep you up to date on new developments as this story unfolds.
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Reported by Edwin Ortiz
