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Back in the mid-2000s, putting Akon and T-Pain on the same track was almost a guaranteed recipe for a radio hit. From “Bartender” to those unforgettable guest hooks, the pair helped soundtrack an entire generation.
But these days, the vibes have taken a serious turn.
The music has been replaced by legal paperwork, and T-Pain is once again knocking on the courtroom door of Akon’s record label, Konvict Entertainment.
The Grammy-winning hitmaker has reportedly filed a lawsuit against the label, alleging that it is holding onto $489,047 in royalties that he says he is contractually entitled to receive.
According to the legal filings, the dispute centres around a sizeable royalty payment received by Konvict Entertainment earlier this year.
A distributor reportedly paid the label more than $1.3 million in music royalties. Under the terms of T-Pain’s agreement with the label, the singer is entitled to 75 percent of the net royalties collected.
So far, the arithmetic sounds simple.
The problem began when T-Pain received only part of the money.
He reportedly received approximately $489,000 in June, but according to his lawsuit, the remaining amount has yet to make its way into his account.
And then came the part that apparently pushed the situation from accounting headache to courtroom material.
Rather than receiving the outstanding balance directly from Konvict Entertainment, T-Pain’s team was reportedly directed to seek the money from an affiliated label operated by Akon’s younger brother.
Attempts to resolve the matter allegedly went nowhere, leaving the singer’s camp with more questions than answers.
Eventually, T-Pain’s patience apparently ran out.
Enter the lawyers.
And if this story feels strangely familiar, that is because T-Pain and Konvict Entertainment have already had a previous date with the legal system.
Back in 2018, T-Pain sued the label over issues surrounding album advance payments. That dispute was eventually resolved through a settlement reportedly worth $114,000.
Now, according to the new lawsuit, T-Pain claims Konvict Entertainment has breached not only the terms of his original 2005 recording agreement, but also the settlement agreement that was supposed to bring their previous legal battle to an end.
Talk about a sequel nobody ordered.
Interestingly, Akon himself has not been named as a defendant in the latest lawsuit. The legal spotlight is instead focused directly on Konvict Entertainment.
For T-Pain, this is no longer about studio sessions, hit records or nostalgic collaborations. It is about making sure the numbers on the royalty statement actually match the numbers in the bank account.
After all, “Buy U a Drank” was about spending money.
This latest chapter appears to be about getting the money first.
One thing is certain: Auto-Tune can fix a shaky vocal, but it cannot fix a missing royalty payment.
And with nearly half a million dollars allegedly hanging in the balance, this particular track may have to reach its final verse in court.
