The Erica Campbell royalties lawsuit ended almost as fast as it began. My Block Records, the label founded by Erica Campbell’s husband, producer Warryn Campbell, voluntarily dismissed its case against distributor SRG/ILS Group on Friday, Oct. 2, after the two sides reached a settlement, Billboard reported. The label had filed the case only about two weeks earlier.
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How the Erica Campbell royalties lawsuit ended
According to Billboard, the dismissal filing says the label dropped the action “without prejudice” because the parties settled. A dismissal without prejudice generally means a case could be refiled, though a settlement usually makes that unlikely. The filing does not disclose the terms, and Billboard reported that neither side admitted wrongdoing in it.
What My Block said SRG failed to do
My Block sued SRG on Sept. 17 in federal court in New York. It said the distributor never sent a royalty statement for three albums: Erica Campbell’s 2023 gospel release I Love You, Lena Byrd Miles’ 2022 album Brand New and The Walls Group’s Four Walls, released in February 2023. The complaint sought more than $1 million in damages plus interest and legal fees, and it asked for a jury trial.
The label said it signed a licensing deal with SRG in October 2021. It said the agreement was amended in September 2022 to raise distribution fees tied to marketing support. It said the agreements were terminated in December 2023, with SRG keeping distribution rights through March 1, 2024. The three albums together drew more than 113 million streams, according to the complaint as described by Music Business Worldwide.
The releases at the center of the case
The albums were not small-scale projects. By the complaint’s count, I Love You drew more than 55 million streams, Four Walls more than 53 million and Brand New more than 5 million. Campbell’s single “Feel Alright (Blessed)” reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart, and “Feel Alright” and “Positive” earned Grammy nominations. Miles’ “WOW (Walk on Water),” from Brand New, also topped Gospel Airplay.
Music rights fights are a recurring story across the industry. For other examples, see our coverage of The Game’s lawsuit against UMG and the Dean song dispute. For another awards-season item, read about the Grammys’ new Asian pop category.
SRG’s response
SRG, a Norwalk, Connecticut-based distributor that works in partnership with Universal Music Group’s Virgin Music, said when the Erica Campbell royalties lawsuit was filed that it had made “repeated efforts” to work with My Block on transferring masters, accounting and payments. The company added that it kept records of those communications and expected them to give context to the claims. It also said it remained focused on serving its artists and partners.
The separate Kenny Lattimore case
SRG still faces a separate lawsuit from R&B singer Kenny Lattimore, filed in February. Lattimore says he received a single royalty check of about $4,400 for his 2021 album Here to Stay, despite a No. 1 hit on the Adult R&B Airplay chart, and that he is owed more than $100,000. SRG has denied the allegations. The Erica Campbell royalties lawsuit landed while the Lattimore case was already underway.
What’s next
The Erica Campbell royalties lawsuit against SRG is closed following the Oct. 2 dismissal, and the settlement terms remain private. Beyond the court filing, no public statement detailing the agreement has surfaced. The Lattimore lawsuit remains active in court, and no trial date has been reported.
