Camron Sues J. Cole and UMG Over Ready 24 Coauthorship and Royalties

Rapper Camron filed a federal lawsuit in Manhattan on Tuesday against J. Cole, Cole World Inc., and Universal Music Group, alleging that his vocal contribution to the track Ready 24 was released without his permission or compensation and in violation of a verbal agreement reached during recording in 2022. The complaint seeks a judicial declaration that Camron is a coauthor of the sound recording, a full accounting of revenues from the song, and payment of what he says is his share of the royalties, which he estimates at more than $500,000.

According to the lawsuit, Camron, whose legal name is Cameron Giles, and J. Cole recorded Ready 24 in June 2022 at Electric Lady Studios in Manhattan. Camron contends the parties agreed the track would not be released unless Cole either appeared on one of Camron’s singles or participated on Camron’s podcast It Is What It Is. The complaint says Cole later agreed to appear on the podcast but then repeatedly told Camron he was unavailable. The suit alleges the track was released on Cole’s 2024 project Might Delete Later without Camron’s signoff, without his credit as a performer, and without payment.

The filing notes that the composition is...