In a legal battle that continues to get more dramatic by the day, Roc Nation is not messing around when it comes to being associated with the wild claims being made in a lawsuit that rapper Fat Joe is involved with.
The lawsuit, brought by Terrance Dixon, paints a monstrous picture accusing Fat Joe of wage theft, as more lurid and serious claims such as forced labor, financial fraud, and even sexual misconduct with minors. But Roc Nation claims they're being unfairly swept up in a situation over which they had no say.
According to Dixon, Roc Nation, the chart-topping rapper's powerful entertainment conglomerate, was somehow linked to the purported bad behavior because he had been managing Fat Joe's music business since 2017. But now, Roc Nation will no longer take it from the team of attorneys representing the N.F.L.
"Roc Nation has no involvement in any of the allegations." Absolutely nothing," attorney Alex Spiro told Billboard in a defiant statement. "And we believe that this case should be dismissed."
In court filings, Spiro eviscerated the logic behind Dixon's allegations. The only link Roc Nation had, Jordan said, was in a typical artist management deal, which calls for a manager to take a cut of the rapper's music income. "Hardly a crime," Spiro wrote on Twitter, that doesn't amount to participating in a criminal conspiracy.
"Somehow, Roc Nation works with Fat Joe, and they are involved in a RICO enterprise and a sex trafficking scheme?" Spiro wrote. That is nonsensical."
Spiro also asked how Roc Nation could have known about any of the alleged abuse, which he characterized as a stretch. He also noted that handling an artist's tour schedule and album rollouts isn't necessarily a window into how much someone was or wasn't making behind the scenes.
But Dixon's lawyer, Tyrone Blackburn, says he has no personal beef with Roc Nation or its top brass; they won't let the company skate free.
"I'm glad that Roc Nation was wise enough to remove themselves and their brand from Fat Joe and his RICO enterprise," Blackburn said.
Fat Joe, meanwhile, has denied all the claims. His lawyer, Joe Tacopina, suggests there may be more to the case than meets the eye. "Law enforcement knows that at the core of this scheme is an extortionate attempt," he said.
The case is active with RICO claims as of now. As Roc Nation tries to extricate itself from the firestorm, it's evident that this case is not close to a cool-down. Roc Nation is desperate to get off this legal rollercoaster, and they're not quiet about it.
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