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Cam’ron has filed suit against J. Cole, claiming that he’s owed at least $500,000 in royalties over their 2024 collaboration “Ready ‘24.”
Cam’ron (né Cameron Giles) filed a complaint in New York on Tuesday, Oct. 28 saying that he and Cole (né Jermaine Cole) first worked together on the 2021 song “95 South,” which featured on Cole’s album The Off-Season.
In December 2021, Cole, 40, asked Cam’ron, 49, to work with him on another song for a future album, and the “Hey Ma” rapper agreed on several conditions: he would have control over the final song as well as proper credit, and Cole would collaborate with him on a future project, either a new single or an appearance on Cam’ron’s podcast It Is What It Is, according to the complaint, which was obtained by PEOPLE.
In June 2022, the musicians recorded “Ready ‘24” together, which featured lyrics written by Cam’ron, at Electric Lady Studios in New York City.
In the filing, Cam’ron alleged that he told Cole during the recording session that he would not authorize the song’s release until Cole joined him on a future project, to which Cole allegedly agreed.
“Two years later, with Cole having refused to honor his agreement to collaborate with [Cam’ron] on either a single or on the podcast, Defendants nevertheless released [‘Ready ’24’]… on the album Might Delete Later,” the filing said.
A rep for Cole did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Cole released the Might Delete Later mixtape in April 2024, though Cam’ron claims that he has not received any royalties from the song, and is owed at least $500,000.
Cam’ron also alleges that Cole never followed through on his promise to take part in a future collaboration, and that the star denied multiple requests to appear on his podcast. The filing also said that Cam’ron asked Cole in 2022 to perform on one of two songs he’d previously recorded and Cole said no, claiming he’d prefer to collaborate on an entirely new song that they write together.
“The collaboration never materialized despite due request by Plaintiff,” the filing said.
In addition to the $500,000 Cam’ron is also asking for attorney’s fees and any “further relief as the court deems equitable and proper.”
