Playboi Carti is being sued by singer/songwriter Blakk Soul for allegedly failing to pay him for featuring his vocals on the 2017 song “Kelly K.”
In a new lawsuit filed on Friday (January 24) and viewed by HipHopDX, Soul (real name Eric Mercer Jr.) accuses Carti of making a deal with him for a 5% ownership stake in the song – then never actually giving him any money.
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The track lives on the rapper’s self-titled debut mixtape, though Soul’s suit incorrectly refers to it as Playboi Carter. Both the song and the project have since been certified platinum, with the former raking up nearly 65 million streams across multiple platforms.
“Despite the commercial success of the song and the album, Mr. Mercer had yet to be compensated for his contributions to the song, and has yet to receive a single dollar, or even an accounting of what is owed to him,” the suit reads.
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According to Soul, he initially recorded his part with the song’s producer Jake One in 2017, then signed an agreement with Carti in 2020 after being approached with a deal a few months earlier.
“On July 19, 2019, over two years after the song’s release, CCM and Carter presented Mr. Mercer with a split sheet, in which it was proposed that Mr. Mercer would receive a five percent ownership interest in the song in exchange for his contributions to and vocals on the song,” his lawyer wrote.
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Soul has since rescinded his agreement for lack of payment, and is now suing for copyright infringement, breach of contract, unjust infringement and breach of the right of publicity.
Meanwhile, Playboi Carti fans are anxiously awaiting the rapper’s third album I Am Music – and they’re becoming restless.
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Though Carti has not yet announced a release date for the long-awaited project, all signs pointed to it arriving before the end of the year, much like his previous effort Whole Lotta Red which dropped on Christmas Day in 2020.
After the album was nowhere to be seen on the last Friday — the typical release day for most new albums — of 2024, one frustrated fan created a petition to “ban” the rapper from all streaming platforms.
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The petition, which has nearly 9,000 signatures of this writing, reads: “Playboi Carti has consistently deceived and disappointed his loyal fanbase by making empty promises about album releases. Most recently, on December 14, 2023, he assured fans that a new album would drop in 2024. Since then, instead of delivering on his word, he has only shared snippets, released random tracks on YouTube and Instagram, and failed to provide the album he promised.”
It continues: “Tomorrow/Today is the last Friday of the year, the traditional release day for new music and there is still no sign of the promised project. This repeated cycle of unfulfilled commitments demonstrates a lack of respect for his fans’ time and support.
“We demand accountability. This petition calls for Playboi Carti to be banned from all music platforms until he honors his promises and demonstrates a genuine commitment to his fanbase. If artists cannot uphold the trust of their listeners, they should not be allowed to profit off their loyalty.”
“Sign this petition to send a message that fans deserve better,” it concludes.
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While Playboi Carti has yet to comment on the whereabouts of I Am Music or the backlash to its long-delayed release, producer Mike Dean urged fans to remain patient.
After one Instagram user asked him to “tell Carti to drop,” Dean — who reportedly has production credits on the project — replied: “Carti will drop when he’s finished. No sooner. Wait.”
