Rob Fusari is turning out to be one bitter grapefruit. And a bit of a bleating goat. Last month, he complained about Beyonce and the Knowles clan in an interview with Billboard, saying that the family strong-armed Beyonce onto songwriting credits. In that same interview, he acknowledged that his relationship with Lady Gaga, a former friend, collaborator and lover, had soured. But he still hoped to work with her again in the future! Naturally, the best way to smooth things over with someone is to sue them for $30.5 million, right?
In an article from the Associated Press, Rob Fusari alleges that he deserves a bigger cut of Lady Gaga's wealth because he claims that he came up with her stagename and electro-pop sound. Yeah, whatever. The sticky part though is the fact that the two of them apparently formed an LLC with the sole purpose of promoting Gaga's career. Crap. What, are up and coming artists going to have to sign pre-nup agreements with producers now, so they don't come back later when they make it big and try to take half of everything? SOURCE: Billboard.com
Fusari -- whose account of his role in the multiplatinum-selling artist's early career has been told in interviews -- says he introduced Lady Gaga to a record executive who ultimately shepherded her to Interscope Records, which released "The Fame" in 2008. The album has sold more than 3 million copies in the United States; Fusari has a producing credit.
But the lawsuit says their personal and business relationship had soured by then and he has been denied a 20 percent share of song royalties, 15 percent of merchandising revenue and other money he's owed. He acknowledges getting checks for about $611,000 but says that isn't his full share.
Are Gaga and Beyonce going to have to dedicate a live performance of "Telephone" to Rob Fusari so he'll back off and let these divas live? Sorry, I cannot hear you I'm kinda busy, k-kinda busy.
