Lil Rod Admits “No Legal Basis” For Allegations Against Lucian Grainge Amid Diddy Lawsuit

Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones is dismissing his allegations against Universal Music Group CEO Lucian Grainge, Motown Records, and UMG Recordings. In a filing obtained by AllHipHop, Jones’ attorney, Tyrone A. Blackburn, reportedly admits there is “no legal basis” for the claims against the UMG defendants.

The filing explains: “PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, upon the supporting Declaration of Tyrone A. Blackburn dated May 13, 2024, and all prior proceedings heretofore had and all papers filed herein, Plaintiff Rodney Jones will move this Court, at a date and time to be determined by the Court, for an Order, pursuant to Rules 15, 21 and 41 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, dismissing all claims and striking all allegations made against Lucian Charles Grainge, Motown Records, UMG Recordings, Inc. (incorrectly named as Universal Music Group) in the Second Amended Complaint with prejudice and removing Lucian Charles Grainge, Motown Records, UMG Recordings, Inc. (incorrectly named as Universal Music Group) from the caption of this action.”

Read More: Kanye West Poses With Lucian Grainge In Resurfaced Pic Amid His “Rich Baby Daddy” Drake Criticism

Lucian Grainge Speaks At Grammy Awards

SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 24: Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO. Universal Music Group during the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards – Entertainment Law Initiative on January 24, 2020 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Blackburn adds: “Based on my examination of all of the papers submitted in support of both motions to dismiss, which addressed the issues I had, I have concluded that there is no legal basis for the claims and allegations that were made against the UMG Defendants. As such, I have determined that the proper course of action is for all of the claims and all of the allegations to be withdrawn immediately.”

Jones previously accused Grainge of aiding Diddy in his alleged misconduct. He’s accusing the Bad Boy mogul of sexual assault, sex trafficking, and more. Diddy has denied all of the claims. Be on the lookout for further updates on Lucian Grainge and Diddy on HotNewHipHop.

Read More: UMG Boss Lucian Grainge Wants Court To Dismiss Him From Lil Rod’s Diddy Lawsuit

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UMG Boss Lucian Grainge Wants Court To Dismiss Him From Lil Rod’s Diddy Lawsuit

The lawsuit against Diddy from Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, the producer accusing him of sexual assault and sex trafficking, doesn’t just include allegations against the Bad Boy mogul. Moreover, two big record companies appeared as defendants in this suit due to alleged liability reasons: Motown and Universal Music Group (UMG), plus a notable individual. This is the head of the latter organization, Sir Lucian Grainge, who reportedly requested the court via his legal team (which is also acting on behalf of these companies) for dismissal from the case altogether. Attorneys for all three parties, referred to as “the UMG Defendants,” reportedly filed a motion for this dismissal on Wednesday (April 24) and asked a New York judge to throw out all claims concerning them with prejudice, according to court documents reportedly obtained by journalist Meghann Cuniff.

“All of the claims against Grainge, Motown and UMG Recordings (the ‘UMG Defendants’) in the [second amended complaint] are lacking in any legally cognizable basis,” lawyers supposedly argued in court docs concerning the Diddy case. “Every claim [premises] on the untenable strict liability theory that when one enters into a commercial contract, the payor under that contract becomes liable for anything that the recipient of payment does with the payment.

Read More: 50 Cent Endorses Gucci Mane’s Diddy Diss: “That’s What You Get!”

Diddy At Invest Fest 2023

Diddy Lawsuit Rodney Jones Lucian Grainge UMG Dismiss Hip Hop News
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – AUGUST 26: Sean “Diddy” Combs attends Day 1 of 2023 Invest Fest at Georgia World Congress Center on August 26, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

“There is no law underpinning such theory and the baseless ‘general business partnership’ allegation in the [second amended complaint] provides no support,” the legal team reportedly continued in their argument in dismissal from the Diddy case. “The claims against the UMG Defendants are entirely bereft of legal merit and should be dismissed with prejudice.” Lil Rod’s lawsuit claims that Lucian Grainge helped Sean Combs engage in his crimes, which Grainge’s attorneys allegedly denied outright. “Plaintiff and his counsel (Blackburn) have blown up a $50,000 claim for underpayment for production services into criminal accusations against Sean Combs and his associates,” they reportedly expressed.

Not content to pursue Combs alone, without any factual or legal basis, Plaintiff and his counsel (Blackburn) have also improperly accused Grainge, UMG Recordings and Motown (collectively, the UMG Defendants) of furthering, participating in, and helping to conceal the alleged conduct of Combs and his associates based on a knowingly false ‘general business partnership’ allegation coupled with the fabrication of a non-existent duty to supervise and control how Combs spent his own money,” they concluded. Regardless, for more news and the latest updates on the Diddy case, log back into HNHH.

Read More: Kanye West Poses With Lucian Grainge In Resurfaced Pic Amid His “Rich Baby Daddy” Drake Criticism

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Kanye West Poses With Lucian Grainge In Resurfaced Pic Amid His “Rich Baby Daddy” Drake Criticism

A photo of Kanye West posing with Lucian Grainge is circulating on social media after the rapper labeled the Universal Music Group CEO Drake’s “rich baby daddy.” In the picture, he rocks a red “Make America Great Again” hat. He ranted about his relationship with Drake during an interview with Justin Laboy on his The Download podcast over the weekend.

When Elliott Wilson shared the picture on Twitter, on Monday, fans still came to Kanye’s defense, despite the apparent hypocrisy. “Ye was in the Sunken Place. Now he’s out,” one user wrote. Another added: “Drake against a whole gauntlet of foes. Hard to root against the lone wolf.”

Read More: Kanye West Roasts Drake’s UMG Label Deal On Alleged “Like That” Remix Leak

Kanye West Meets With Donald Trump

(Files) in this file photo, Kanye West meets with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, October 11, 2018. – Kanye West announced July 4, 2020, he is challenging Donald Trump for the US presidency in 2020. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

As for Kanye’s previous comments, he claimed: “Drake has a rich baby daddy, named Lucian [Grainge] and Universal. He’s like, ‘My daddy got it. My daddy control the spins. My daddy got the DSPs.’ Drake has a rich baby daddy named Lucian.” From there, he claimed Grainge works for “people who control the banks in Africa.” Ye also references Grainge in the lyrics to his new remix of Metro Boomin and Future’s “Like That.” He raps: “Pluto sent the drones, it hit like Metro beats/ It’s a wrap for n**gas, where’s Lucian? Serve ya’ master, n**ga/ You caught a little bag for your masters didn’t ya’, lifetime deal, I feel bad for n**gas/ Y’all so outta sight outta mind, I can’t even think of a Drake line/ Play J. Cole, get the p**sy dry, play this s**t back 130 times.”

Kanye West Poses With Lucian Grainge

Check out the picture of Ye and Lucian Grainge above. Be on the lookout for further updates on Kanye West and Drake on HotNewHipHop.

Read More: DJ Akademiks Thinks Drake’s New Kendrick Lamar Diss (Almost) Seals The Deal

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UMG Rebuffed Lil Rod’s Diddy Lawsuit In A Fiery Response Calling His Claims ‘A Delusion Or A Lie’

diddy
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Universal Music Group would have had enough legal drama to deal with from its row with TikTok over streaming royalties. Unfortunately for Sir Lucian Grainge (CEO of UMG), the company now finds itself drawn into the legal ruckus between Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones and Sean “Diddy” Combs.

In Jones’ controversial sexual harassment suit against Combs, he’s alleged that the music mogul’s supposed transgressions have involved a number of celebrities and fellow recording industry higher-ups, including Grainge, Usher, Yung Miami, and even the UK’s Prince Harry. However, in a new court filing UMG blasted Jones and his accusations as its lawyers argued for UMG to be dismissed from the ongoing suit. In addition, UMG wants legal penalties levied against attorney Tyrone Blackburn, who filed Jones’ lawsuit.

In the new filing, which was shared on Twitter by legal affairs journalist Meghann Cuniff and reported by Billboard, Universal’s attorney Donald Zakarin writes:

“A license to practice law is a privilege. Mr. Blackburn, plaintiff’s lawyer, has misused that license to self-promote, gratuitously, falsely and recklessly accusing the UMG defendants of criminal behavior… The [complaint] hurls accusations of criminal racketeering and criminal sex trafficking against the UMG defendants, respected individuals and companies having utterly nothing to do with plaintiff’s claims. These accusations are recklessly false and, but for the fact that they are embodied in a complaint, would be libelous.

…I have never seen any lawyer, in any pleading, in any court, accuse people and companies of criminal conduct without the slightest basis and then try to file an amended pleading completely jettisoning every allegation underpinning the original claims and substituting completely different and irreconcilable allegations to support the very same claims.”

The response refutes claims that Grainge has ever been to one of Diddy’s supposed “freak parties,” and points out that the only UMG entity with dealings with Combs was Motown, to distribute one album, The Love Album: Off The Grid. You can see the filing in part below:

Lucian Grainge Net Worth 2023: What Is The Universal Music Group CEO Worth?

Lucian Grainge stands as a titan in the music industry, revered for his remarkable contributions and transformative impact. With an estimated net worth of $250 million, as reported by Celebrity Net Worth, Grainge’s journey is a testament to his unparalleled vision and dedication within the music realm.

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The Trailblazing Career In Music

lucian grainge
(Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images for Universal Music Group)

Born on February 29, 1960, in London, Lucian Grainge’s passion for music began at an early age. His journey in the industry commenced when he joined PolyGram in the late ’70s, marking the start of an illustrious career. His strategic prowess and keen understanding of the evolving music landscape propelled him to prominent positions within Universal Music Group (UMG). Grainge’s visionary leadership as the Chairman and CEO of UMG since 2011 has been pivotal in steering the company to unprecedented success. Moreover, his ability to adapt to digital shifts and harness the power of technology revolutionized UMG, making it the world’s leading music company.

Philanthropy & Humanitarian Contributions

Sir Lucian Grainge
(Photo by Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Lucian Grainge is actively engaged in philanthropic initiatives. His dedication to various charitable causes, such as music education programs and humanitarian aid, underscores his commitment to giving back to society. Additionally, Grainge’s efforts in supporting emerging artists and nurturing talent highlight his desire to foster the next generation of musical innovators.

Read More: The Weeknd Signs Massive Long-Term Deal With Universal Music Group

Personal Life & Legacy

Sir Lucian Grainge
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 11: Sofia Richie, Elliot Grainge, Caroline Grainge and Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group Sir Lucian Grainge attend the British Consulate’s celebration of Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee on June 11, 2022 at the British Consulate General Residence in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images for British Consulate Los Angeles and Universal Music Group)

Lucian Grainge’s personal life remains relatively private, with a focus on his influential role in the music industry. Married to Caroline Grainge, he maintains a low-key persona outside of his professional endeavors. His legacy, however, is entrenched in his indelible mark on the music landscape, shaping the careers of countless artists and influencing the global music market.

Impact & Financial Milestones

Grainge’s net worth of $250 million is a testament to his strategic acumen and enduring influence in an ever-evolving industry. His ability to navigate technological disruptions and adapt to changing consumer preferences has not only elevated his wealth but also solidified his legacy as a music industry magnate.

In summary, Lucian Grainge’s estimated net worth of $250 million signifies his extraordinary journey and profound impact on the music industry. His visionary leadership, philanthropic endeavors, and strategic contributions have reshaped the musical landscape, leaving an indelible mark on generations to come. Overall, Grainge stands as an emblem of success and innovation, showcasing the immense potential for influence within the realm of music.

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