Cam'ron Takes J. Cole to Court, Claims $500,000 in Unpaid 'Ready '24' Earnings

Platinum-selling rapper Cam'ron has taken fellow hip-hop star J. Cole to court, claiming he is owed $500,000 for his work on their 2024 collaboration, "Ready '24."

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Manhattan federal court, accuses Cole of failing to honor a prior agreement regarding the song.

According to the complaint, obtained by Rolling Stone, Cam'ron—whose real name is Cameron Giles—was credited only as a co-author of the composition, not as a performer, even though his vocals appear on the track.

He is now asking the court to recognize him as a co-author of the sound recording officially and to order Cole and Universal Music Group to audit royalties so he can receive his "proportionate share of such monies." Representatives for Cole and UMG have not commented.

The seven-page filing also alleges that Cole broke other promises tied to the collaboration. Cam'ron claims he agreed to record "Ready '24" with the understanding that Cole would perform on a future single with him.

"The collaboration never materialized despite due request by plaintiff," the lawsuit states.

When Cam'ron later asked Cole to appear on his podcast, "It Is What It Is," Cole reportedly said he was unavailable.

Cam'ron: 'Ready '24' Dropped Without Permission

Cam'ron says he and Cole recorded the song in New York City in June 2022, and that at the time he made it clear the song shouldn't be released until the future collaboration occurred.

Cole initially agreed, but later preferred to collaborate on a new track instead. Despite ongoing communication from July 2023 to April 2024, the promised collaborations never materialized, the lawsuit claims.

Cole eventually released "Ready '24" in April 2024 as part of his fourth mixtape, "Might Delete Later."

Warner Chappell Music registered the composition, but not the sound recording, leaving Cam'ron unpaid for his contributions.

The lawsuit estimates his owed royalties at $500,000 and also requests attorneys' fees and any additional relief the court sees fit.

Cole released "Might Delete Later" as a surprise, continuing to tease his upcoming album, The Fall Off, which has yet to receive an official release date.

According to HNHH, earlier this year, Cole addressed speculation on his blog, "The Algorithm," clarifying that the posts were not tied to a new album rollout.

Tags

Cam'ron, J. Cole