Mobb Deep Sues Former Manager Over Mixtapes

Decorated Queensbridge duo Mobb Deep is suing their former personal manager and several record labels for alleged violations of their copyrighted songs.

The lawsuit, filed July 9, details several unapproved Mobb albums and songs that were released by Purfek Storm Inc, Streetcore and Big Brother Music: Mobb Deep The Infamous Archives (2007), Mobb Deep The Mix Tape Before 9/11 (2004), and the Purfek Storm Mixtape series.

The group’s former manager and Purfek Storm, Inc CEO Norman Bell was named as a primary defendant in the lawsuit.

Bell managed Mobb Deep from May 2004 through November 2007.

As their former manger Mobb Deep alleges Bell has breached the fiduciary duty and loyalty of his contract.

The Mobb also claims that Bell and other parties plotted to release the copyrighted material by “forging the signatures of the plaintiffs (Mobb Deep) on a written agreement with the distributor for the record, in order to induce the distributor to commercially release, distribute, promote and advertise records of the offending recording(s), all without the knowledge of or consent of plaintiffs, and without any authority granted by plaintiffs to do so.”

Mobb Deep names ten claims against the offending parties which include: copyright infringement, trademark counterfeiting, false designation/advertising, and trademark dilution.

Some of the tracks in question include: “Backwards,” “In the Long Run,” “QB Meets Southside,” and “Getting Moved On.”

Mobb Deep has released eight albums since 1993. They have one platinum and four gold albums.

Their last album, Blood Money, was released on G-Unit Records in 2006.