Yesterday, Billboard reported that veteran underground rap producer Madlib had filed a lawsuit against his former manager, Eothen Alapatt — better known to rap fans as Egon of Stones Throw Records. According to Madlib’s lawsuit, Egon used his role as an executive at Stones Throw to self-deal, claiming profits for himself that were otherwise due to Madlib.
Madlib allegedly trusted Egon to set up two entities: Madicine Show, which would handle Madlib’s musical interests, and Rapp Cats, which would manage sales of Madlib’s merchandise. The producer says that he recently learned that Egon was abusing his privileged position by skimming profits for himself, either hiding accounts or providing false accounts of his work to Madlib about his compensation, and not giving written agreements to his business partner.
In another example of his alleged mismanagement, Egon supposedly secured a single lawyer and accountant to represent both partners in the two enterprises, then instructed them not to work with Madlib and only deal with him, even after Madlib secured new representation of his own. After reviewing accounts from 2018-2022, Madlib says his new team found irregularities and lack of hard copy that amounted to “several hundred thousand dollars” listed as “‘consulting,’ ‘commissions,’ ‘fees’ or ‘reimbursements’” for Egon.
‘Lib also accused Egon of locking him out of his digital accounts for services like Apple Music, Bandcamp, and Ingrooves, allowing Egon to take half of the producer’s royalties. Madlib’s complaint says he “demanded that Madicine Show and Rapp Cats be wound up and dissolved,” and that Egon instead told Madlib to buy him out.
Egon was also sued last year by the widow of the late MF DOOM, whose Madvillainy album with Madlib was put out through Stones Throw during Egon’s time there. Jasmine Dumile claimed Egon refused to return DOOM’s rhyme books, insisting on donating them to a digital archive rather than keep them secret as DOOM intended. Egon has derided that claim as “baseless and libelous” through his attorneys, but has yet to respond to Madlib’s newly filed suit.
