Rapper Crooked I has filed a temporary restraining order against Marion "Suge" Knight, CEO of Tha Row, claiming that Knight is interfering with his recording career.
Crooked I, who signed with the label in 1999 and made national television appearances with Knight, alleges that other record labels interested in signing him are being chased away by Knight, who claims the Crooked I is still signed to Tha Row.
"It's ashame that we have to go there," Crooked I told AllHipHop.com. "My whole thing is, when I told him [Suge] I wanted to make a move, he always told me, 'if you wanna make a move, I'll let you bounce.' So when he sent the cease and desist to stop my recording career and they kept saying that I was still signed on Tha Row's website, it kind of puzzled me. On top of that, I felt the contract was expired. I gotta live out here, I gotta eat and put music out on the streets."
Crooked I, who was signed to Virgin before signing with Tha Row, is considered one of Hip-Hop's brightest emerging talents, due to his lyrical prowess.
He said he fulfilled his obligations to the label by recording almost four albums worth of material for Tha Row that has never been released. He said he also did writing for Left Eye and Kurupt and believes his contract actually expired in 2003.
"Right now, the contract is being debated. It's all based on interpretation," Crooked I explained. "Four years, no releases, I turned in my masters. Once you turn in your masters and nothing comes out, it’s over. I have turned in mastered albums and nothing came out. Death Row’s interpretation is that it’s not over. So we have to go to court to see who’s right."
Crooked I is currently working on a documentary about his time at Death Row and his transformation from a rapper, to a rapper/CEO.
Label woes aside, Crooked I said that while the ordeal has been a struggle, he would eventually persevere.
"I am trying to have everything clean so everyone will be confident when they are dealing with me," Crooked I continued. "I want to go full swing without having to worry about this dude [Suge] coming out of the darkness."
Crooked I, who signed with the label in 1999 and made national television appearances with Knight, alleges that other record labels interested in signing him are being chased away by Knight, who claims the Crooked I is still signed to Tha Row.
"It's ashame that we have to go there," Crooked I told AllHipHop.com. "My whole thing is, when I told him [Suge] I wanted to make a move, he always told me, 'if you wanna make a move, I'll let you bounce.' So when he sent the cease and desist to stop my recording career and they kept saying that I was still signed on Tha Row's website, it kind of puzzled me. On top of that, I felt the contract was expired. I gotta live out here, I gotta eat and put music out on the streets."
Crooked I, who was signed to Virgin before signing with Tha Row, is considered one of Hip-Hop's brightest emerging talents, due to his lyrical prowess.
He said he fulfilled his obligations to the label by recording almost four albums worth of material for Tha Row that has never been released. He said he also did writing for Left Eye and Kurupt and believes his contract actually expired in 2003.
"Right now, the contract is being debated. It's all based on interpretation," Crooked I explained. "Four years, no releases, I turned in my masters. Once you turn in your masters and nothing comes out, it’s over. I have turned in mastered albums and nothing came out. Death Row’s interpretation is that it’s not over. So we have to go to court to see who’s right."
Crooked I is currently working on a documentary about his time at Death Row and his transformation from a rapper, to a rapper/CEO.
Label woes aside, Crooked I said that while the ordeal has been a struggle, he would eventually persevere.
"I am trying to have everything clean so everyone will be confident when they are dealing with me," Crooked I continued. "I want to go full swing without having to worry about this dude [Suge] coming out of the darkness."