Madlib files lawsuit against Eothen “Egon” Alapatt

Madlib is suing his former manager Eothen “Egon” Alapatt over the mismanagement of his record store and their joint venture.

The lawsuit, filed on October 31, 2024, on the fourth anniversary of MF DOOM’s death, accuses Egon of “engaging in a self-centered business, withholding information from Madlib and repeatedly violating his duties to Madlib,” as well as “persistent and pervasive mismanagement.” and “abuse of his role” in both entities and the manufacturer’s “professional and business affairs.” Egon allegedly “improperly positioned” its record label Now-Again as an intermediary between Madicine Show and its primary music distributor Ingrooves, among other things, by allowing itself to collect a fee from any revenue generated from the company’s recorded music, most of which consists of songs produced or recorded by Madlib. He also accused him of not allowing an audit of commercial transactions between his entities and Madlib’s entities and refusing to allow the audit; appointed one lawyer (who was allegedly instructed not to cooperate with Madlib’s newest legal team) and one accountant to represent him, Madlib and all of the companies mentioned without any informed consent from the manufacturer; and failed to deliver full and complete Madicine Show and Rapp Cats books.

Additionally, a forensic analysis of the two entities commissioned by Madlib allegedly found “several accounting irregularities” and “the absence of any backup documentation relating to… payments to Egon” and Rapp Cats executive Jeffrey Carlson, also known as Jeff Jank, between 2018 and mid-2018. 2022. Madlib also accuses Egon of using Madcine Show as a “feeder” for the producer’s production work outside the company, giving himself the opportunity to take half of Madlib’s royalties and promotions. Finally, Egon reportedly blocked Madlib from a number of “key music business platforms” such as Ingrooves, Apple Music, Bandcamp and YouTube, as well as his own Facebook account and the Instagram account of his character Quasimoto.

Madlib is now seeking a court-supervised liquidation and dissolution of Madicine Show and Rappcats, payment of damages, and a declaration from the court confirming that none of the defendants owns or has any continuing right or interest in the matter alleged in the lawsuit.

Madlib allegedly retained Alapatt as his manager even after the two left Stones Throw Records in 2010 and instructed him to manage the “financial, legal and business aspects” of Madicine Show and Rapp Cats; Madicine Show was a business entity set up by Egon on behalf of the producer for the purpose of his “professional career and the production, recording and distribution of his recorded music”, while Rapp Cats was intended to sell the producer’s merchandise and vinyl LP collections at record store events.

Egon is also currently in court proceedings against MF DOOM’s widow, Jasmine Dumilewho accused a former collaborator of the late artist of stealing over two dozen of his notebooks, which contained lyrics from the films Operation Doomsday (1999), Madvillainy (2004), and MM…FOOD (2004), as well as “other creative ideas.” ” The principal admitted to having the notebooks but refused to return them and insisted that they be “donated to a university or government archive” or “to a museum or other institution of (Alapatta’s) choice.”