: There's a whole lot going on with Def Jam artist Chrisette Michelle. As MediaTakeOut.com reported a few days ago, Chrisette's former manager is suing her and the label for $20M - claiming he was swindled out of his rights to the new artist.
But now Chrisette's people are fighting back. We received the following email that gives another perspective on what's happening. Here it is, in its entirety:
I wanted to send some information to you guys as a response to the recent blast by Doug Ellison of Four King Productions (estranged manager of Chrisette Michele) and his absurd 20 million lawsuit against Chrisette Michele's parents and her A&R Shalik Berry.How much you wanna bet that this is gonna get real ugly!!!!Doug released a statement about the suit claiming that the parents were trying to come- up financially and conspired to breach his contract that he had with Chrisette. Really this is a case of the jilted lover and gold digging manager.
Doug tried to whoo Chrisette romantically when she was attending 5 Town College in Long Island, NY and she trusted him. He had a contract with her stating that he got 50% of all her revenues (royalties, publishing, management, merchandising) You name it he tried to put his hands on.
Her trusting him, she allowed him to capitalize on her career. He didn't pay the sound engineers, the samples and co-producers. The money that Def Jam allocated for these people he kept. When she realized he was stealing from her the only people she could turn to were her loving parents that got her an attorney and went through his ridiculous contract...
As far as what he states in the article about her parents, they are the most loving and caring people around her. They are both educators that have worked hard for their children and how dare, Ellison try to paint them to be looking for a handout. Ellison didn't find or discover Chrisette, she was in college majoring in music. Doug Ellison is a low life and his trying to capitalize on his 15 minutes of fame before it runs out or trying to come up financially with this silly lawsuit. Please release this story with anonymity from who it came from, just think of it a close Def Jam/Chrisette Michele insider. I think that Chrisette's fans deserve to know that she will be okay and continues to strive to make good music. So now she is preparing for the Grammy's!
VH1 Soul plays the *** outta Chrisette Michelle but she gets no play anywhere else..even on BET. She can sing her *** off and does have that old voice that takes u back to the 50's and 60's. And she thick like a mofo too!!!
Well thats the music biz for you. They say, watch your money and be careful as to not sign away your rights.
--------------------------------------------------- Maybe we should wait for help from Bush or Jesse Jackson and Operation PUSH. If you ask me the whole thing needs a douche, a massengil, what the hell, crack will sell in the neighborhood!!!
crisette micheles' mom quit her job as a teacher to fall back on her daughters career and get paid...too bad that dream job of being taken care of by her daughter has backfired Dr Donda West didnt quit until Kanye was wealthy, she still worked for a while before she quit. Cristete michele, your mom is a stupid ***
@ The truth 555,
I wish I said that first, she is a sweaty azz ***!! LOL LOL everytime she performs live shes a sweaty azz mess dripping all over the place! Thats why Def Jam didnt want to put this sweaty azz hoe in the spotlight yet because once da paparazzi gets a *** of her sweat box, shes DONE! O yea, Chrisette michelle tell your mama to stop trying to be your manager and go get her job back teachin them kids! Yo mama a lazy azz ***!
IF HIS SUCH A "JILTED" LOVER, THEN WHY DID SHE DROP HER LAWSUIT AGAINST HIM??? IN THE SAME ARTICLE, IT STATES SHE COUNTER SUED, BUT THEN DROPPED THE LAWSUIT, AND IT'S VERY CLEAR MOST PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA OF WHAT REALLY GOES ON IN THE MUSIC BIZ. FIRST, IF YOU SIGN TO A PRODUCTION COMPANY, THEY ARE ENTITLED TO 50% OF EVERYTHING YOU GET, BECAUSE THE LABEL SIGNED THE ARTIST AND THE PRODUCTION COMPANY. IF SHE SIGNED STRAIGHT TO THE LABEL, THAT WOULDNT BE THE CASE. WHY YOU THINK MOST OF THESE RAPPERS AND R&B SINGERS ARE BROKE... HELLO... TLC,
@ malonemx
Why Are you so negative...She's not that bad and Do you really know her mom like that to call her a ***!! Wow. Calm Down chill out Everything is going to be alright you're in my prayers...Your hate is disgusting.
I happen to have the CHRISETTE MICHELE --I Am and the album is wonderful. Her music is very postive and I'm praying that this storm will pass over her and she can get back to being a positive Beauitful Black singer.
she has such a beautiful voice and she is also in my opinion a beautiful woman. i get truy amazed by the fact that MANY people will beleive whatever someone has to say. People are jumping go conclusions and making statements based upon what MEDIA (being the very first word of this web site) has to say.
we should all be familar with the saying: stand for something or fall for anything. well the latter tends to be true when coming onto this site.
Why is there so many artist getting screwed out of so much, man. There are too my examples, in recent history, of artist who have gotten taken adventage of.
I mean, artist know and go to school for good music but what about the business behind the music. If your an artist good music should come second nature. And sence the music comes naturally to you, the #1 priority should be how are you getting paid, way before you get into the game.
There should be some kind of music business 101 in colleges, so artist can know what the legal jargan in those contracts means, and know when some is trying to take adventage of you.
This girl is the ***. I love her music, you can let her cd play from start to finish, unlike most cd's when you have to skip most of the songs.
She is lacking promotions or something because she should be bigger than Alica Keys. sorry, I love Alica but her ablum was not good to me and I kind of wanted to return it. ***, I wish you can get a refund on cd's.
@malonemx You must be the Jilted Ex-manager. GREEDY PEOPLE END UP BROKE!!! HONEST PEOPLE END UP ON TOP!!!
SHE JUST NEED TO TAKE THIS AS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.
Fact of the matter is, if he has any paperwork signed by Ms. Michelle stating a manager/client relationship he will be awarded some type of damages, whether he's a golddigger or not. (Disclaimer: Isn't funny how women get up in arms when MEN try to golddig, yet it's completely okay when WOMEN do it? For the record, ALL golddigging is slimy and underhanded, whether it be a man or woman, get a job ***). The problem with music has always been everyone wants to create music, no one wants to do business. If Doug has no papers, does has no case. Plain and simple.
Chrisette Michelle has the best R&B Album. She makes good quality music. She makes that music for your soul. I really enjoy every song on her c.d. she makes that grown up music. What yall know about it. *** out to Chrisette. We need music like that nowadays. Especially when you need a peace of mind.
shes talented but shes not going to blow up..she doesnt have the "it" factor..nothing pops off with this girl..there are certain people who have star quality and she just doesnt have it..she can sing, but so can a lot of people that dont have record deals..you have to have something special about you..something that grabs peoples attention..shes just another good voice in the pack
I LOVE Chrisette Michele's cd. It is in my player right now. I thought she was more popular, but according to the comments, a third of us love her, a third dont and the other third never heard of her...hummm. I wish her luck with this one, I'd love to hear from her for years to come. Her music is very positive and uplifting. I get tired of always hearing about the heartaches and pains, like "i should of cheated, let it go, should have let you go" and so on. I say if you should have did all them things, then do it and quit singing about it. Get past it and move on, ish happens.
@ malonemx
Do you know them PERSONALLY or something? You sure had an extra large dose of HATERADE this morning!! I hope you get a chance to meet Chrisette and her mama in person, sounds like you got something to get up off your chest to her... I hope her 'lazy, non-managing' azz slap tha taste out of your mouth. You got nerves disrespectin' somebody's mama like that.
For all u jack-azzez who made reference to Chrisette's sweating on stage. 1st of all, sweating is normal, actually healthy. It is the way the body maintains a normal temperature and releases inernal waste. So anyone who does NOT sweat is probably full of SHHHH-IT, has bad skin, and is unhealthy!! Have you ever been on stage under the bright lights? Get educated before u speak!!
