Black Immigrant Daily News

Kemar ‘Flava’ McGregor is suing VP Records once again, this time for what he alleges is the company’s “blatant and purposeful” copyright infringement on seven songs, including tracks voiced by American singers Musiq Soulchild and Syleena Johnson and Jamaican artists Beres Hammond, Gyptian, Jah Cure, Duane Stephenson, and Elephant Man.

The Florida-based Jamaican producer, 42, who is representing himself in the action, is demanding a bench trial and over US$10 million in damages, profits, costs, and interest, according to court records obtained by DancehallMag.

The lawsuit was filed in a U.S. District Court in Florida last month by McGregor, Stephan Warren, and Rogier Sjardijn.

Also named as Defendants are VP’s publishing subsidiaries STB Music Inc. and Greensleeves Publishing and its executives Chris Chin, Randy Chin, and Patricia Chin.  

On Tuesday (March 21), McGregor and a representative for VP both declined DancehallMag’s requests for comment on the matter. 

In the complaint, the producer alleged that STB Music Inc had “fraudulently registered” Musiq Soulchild and Syleena Johnson’s Feel The Fire on his behalf and then claimed 50% of the composition.  According to the producer, Feel The Fire is controlled and owned by himself, Stephan Warren, Pop Reggae Publishing/McWarren Music Publishing, and Rogier Sjardijn.  

The song was the lead single on Soulchild and Johnson’s joint Reggae-Soul album 9ine, which was produced by McGregor in 2013.  Soulchild is known for songs such as Love, Halfcrazy, and Dontchange, while Syleena, who has released eight studio albums, is best known for All Falls Down with Kanye West. 

McGregor has also alleged that STB and Greensleeves Publishing have been claiming rights to exploit the following songs: Beres Hammond’s I Surrender Acoustic, Duane Stephenson and Gyptian’s Herbs Man, Elephant Man’s Wine It For Me, Gyptian’s Beauty and Let’s Have Some Fun, and Jah Cure and Gyptian’s More Thanks For Life.

According to him, these six songs are also controlled by himself and the co-plaintiffs, who neither assigned nor granted VP any right to exploit the compositions. 

McGregor said he had informed VP of their alleged infringement and continued collection of royalties on the songs, but, according to him, the company “wilfully” ignored his complaints.

“Defendants’ conduct is causing, and unless immediately enjoined will continue to case, enormous and irreparable harm to Plaintiff.  Defendants may not continue to exploit Plaintiff’s musical compositions without authorisation in order to collect profits from the performance revenues of said compositions to the public.  Defendants’ conduct must be immediately stopped and Plaintiffs must be compensated for Defendants’ wilful acts of infringement,” McGregor wrote in the complaint.

“Because VP Records and STB have wilfully infringed, and committed fraud, against the Plaintiffs’ copyrights, and have cost the Plaintiffs both financial and business-opportunity losses, the Plaintiffs seek $10 million in damages,” he continued.

The lawsuit marks the third legal dispute between McGregor and VP Records.

According to McGregor’s filing last month, it follows two settlement agreements, in 2014 and 2018, in which the companies paid McGregor more than US$450,000.

He noted that Soulchild and Johnson’s Feel The Fire was not subject to the two settlement agreements. 

Contrary to popular belief, McGregor is not related to Reggae legend Freddie McGregor. 

He is, however, one of Jamaica’s most prolific producers, having worked with Freddie, Etana, Nesbeth, Queen Ifrica, Richie Spice Lutan Fyah, Gramps Morgan, Richie Stephens, Marcia Griffiths, Glen Washington, Cocoa Tea, I-Wayne, Capleton, Sizzla, and Beenie Man, among many others.

Some of his biggest songs include Etana’s I Am Not Afraid, Gramps Morgan’s One In A Million, Queen Ifrica’s Daddy, Gyptian’s Mama Don’t Cry, and Richie Spice’s Gideon Boot and Di Plane Land.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Harvel ‘Gadafi’ Hart eagerly awaits the day he returns to Jamaica to see the completed mausoleum for his friend, and business partner, Merciless, who was laid to rest in September last year.

According to Hart, Merciless’ family purchased a 16-acre property on which they built the mausoleum to house the deejay’s body.

“I am going to sit and have a drink with Leonard and have a drink with him. I am going to have it in the spirit,” he said.

Hart, who managed Merciless’s career for over two decades, revealed that the mausoleum cost over $3 million to design and construct. “Is pure marble inside it,” he added.

MERCILESS’ MAUSOLEUM

Hart said the family had invested over $6 million to buy the property in Four Paths, Clarendon.

“We plan to keep an annual memorial stage show for Merciless at this venue. The family is putting in concrete fencing around the venue to create a show ground where the annual memorial will be held,” he explained.

He said the pricey mausoleum is part of a larger legacy project to honour the memory of the Ole Gallis artist by creating an entertainment venue where the deejay’s loyal fanbase can visit his final resting place and regale his achievements and his successes.

Mourners carry the casket bearing the remains of Leonard ‘Merciless Bartley’ to its final resting place.

“The family has a plan to build bars and a stage area on the land, is 16 acres in all. Merciless had his savings with Mama Eckle. Merciless never got the energy from the industry, but in death, he was saving to make a statement, and his legacy will be there for other artists to see,” Hart said.

Merciless, whose real name was Leonard Bartley, was found unresponsive in a motel in Kingston on July 19 and later pronounced dead at the hospital.

Merciless, who hailed from Chapleton in Clarendon, exploded onto the Dancehall scene in 1994 with his hit song Len out Mi Mercy, which was initially voiced as a dubplate.

Stone Love boss Winston “Wee Pow” Powell, upon hearing Merciless deejay for the first time, immediately declared him a star, changed the Mavis artist’s moniker from Sugar Demus changed to Merciless.   At the time, Wee Pow and Bounty Killer were not on good terms, and so Merciless having a similar voice to Bounty, was seen as a plus for the Stone Love boss.

Len out Mi Mercy was a massive hit in Jamaica and it started Merciless’ prolific streak as songwriter and deejay.  The Clarendon native followed up with a string of other hits including Mavis, Ole Gallis, Whaddup, Mama Cookin, Gizzada, Let Dem Have It, and God Alone with Little Hero and Action Fire.

Merciless also collaborated with Lady Saw for Baby Mother and Long Till It Bend.

He recorded three albums, including Mr. Merciless in 1994 and Len’ Out Mi Mercy in 1995.

In the late 1990s and 2000s, he engaged in several high-profile lyrical battles with fellow deejays Beenie Man, Ninjaman and Bounty Killer.

His most legendary clash occurred at Sting 2000 when he emerged victorious against Ninjaman, Bounty Killer and Beenie Man, who tried to ambush him in a lyrical face-off at the Jamworld Entertainment Complex in Portmore, St. Catherine.

A controversial mural—depicting the Sting 2000 victory against the trio—was painted onto a wall at Merciless’ gravesite and was cited by Bounty Killer as one reason he did not attend the deejay’s funeral.

The family later removed the mural, which they said was the painter’s idea.

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