Migos Sue Their Lawyer Over Conflict of Interest and "Excessive Fees"

Migos is suing their attorney over “excessive fees” as well as a conflict of interest. According to The Hollywood Reporter, court documents were filed on behalf of the music trio, accusing attorney Damien Granderson of taking “excessive fees” from the group without written consent. The lawsuit, which names Granderson’s current law firm, Granderson Des Rochers, and his prior firm, Davis Shapiro, claims the lawyer “robbed and cheated” the three “out of millions of dollars.”

“Granderson was working with Migos since the group’s early days, including on the 2014 deal to have 300 Entertainment distribute Migos’ debut album, Yung Rich Nation,” writes attorney Bryan Freedman, representative of Migos, in the complaint. “At that time, the group’s members were in their late teens and early twenties, and had nothing more than a high school education.”

Freedman argues Takeoff, Offset, and Quavo were seen as “easy targets coaxed into a one-sided deal for a higher-priority client, Quality Control Music.” Freedman also stated the trio did not know Granderson represented the music label, which served as a conflict of interest as the attorney’s loyalty was with QCM executives Pierre “P” Thomas and Kevin “Coach K” Lee.

According to the lawsuit, the attorney failed to disclose the conflict and instigated a legal dispute with 300 Entertainment to move the group to Capitol Records. It also states Granderson made the situation worse by “negotiating a 2018 amendment to the exclusive label agreement between QCM and Capitol Records.” This resulted in “an extension of the exclusive recording agreement between QCM and Migos, which Granderson knew to contain terms that were unconscionable for the Migos.”

In the agreement, Migos would be required to render services or make payments directly to Capitol Records if they were to cut ties with Quality Control Music. Freedman writes “Granderson effectively prevented his other client – Migos – from ever being free of paying excessive compensation to QCM, from ever being signed to any other record label, and from ever obtaining negotiating leverage to secure reasonable terms in connection with the distribution of its musical recordings.”

Migos’ attorney says Granderson owes his clients the millions of dollars in fees and that the trio is suing him for professional malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty, violation of California Business & Professions Code 6147 and 6148 (which states contingency fee agreements are made in writing), unjust enrichment and declaratory relief. The Migos are requesting a statement that shows their 5 percent contingent fee agreement is false, alongside restitution and punitive damages.

Thomas has stated: “It is unfortunate that the same people that we have worked hard for, provided opportunities for, and championed for are now alleging that we have participated in any kind of immoral or unfair business practices or took advantage of them and their careers. He went on to say that “I will not stand by and let Quality Control Music’s reputation and everything we have built and sacrificed be tarnished by allegations of unfair and unjust business practices…”

He continues, “I understand in this business that you are not always going to end with the people you started with. I say that to say, I am not forcing anybody to be in business with us that has a problem and cannot communicate and does not want to work as a unit. Everything is negotiable.”

In other music news, Kanye West revealed a new album tracklist in a now-deleted tweet.

Migos v Granderson by THROnline on Scribd