TVT Records loses Battle with DEF JAM records

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

In May 2003, then-Island Def Jam CEO Lyor Cohen and Def Jam Records were found guilty of fraud, copyright infringement, and breach of contract, and ordered to pay $131 million to TVT Records. The award was later overturned by an appeals court. The Associated Press reports that TVT Records'attempt to have the appeal court's decision reviewed by the Supreme Court has failed. The Supreme Court ruled on Monday (June 26th) that they would not hear the case.

TVT Records initially filed the lawsuit against Cohen and Def Jam when the company pulled out of an agreement to release an Irv Gotti-produced album by Ja Rule and the Cash Money Clic in November 2002. That's after TVT Records had spent more than $1 million to record and market the project.

Ja Rule was signed to TVT Records in the early '90s as a member of the Cash Money Clic. The rapper explained how his career began after meeting Irv Gotti: "Me and Irv Gotti met in, like, '92, '93, through an extended friend, my man Jody. And we instantly hit it off. First time we went in the studio, we hit it off. And we did a few records, and we formed a group, CMC. And that was my first introduction into the music world."