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Indian LPO fights power of big record labels with Public Enemy's Chuck D

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Exclusive: Mysore-based legal process outsourcing (LPO) provider SDD Global Solutions has won the mandate to assist on a claim and provide US law litigation support to the non-profit Fight The Power (FTP) Foundation, which represents music artists who claim they have been cheated out of their royalties by big record companies.

The LPO's first case for the FTP Foundation has been to assist in a law suit filed by David Reeves a.k.a. Davy DMX, who had previously written the music in two hit albums of legendary rappers Run DMC as well as assisting on the soundtrack of video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

Reeves claimed that he has been denied over $250,000 in royalties owed to him by a major record company, according to SDD. The case is currently pending in the District Court of the Southern District of New York and was filed in summer 2009 by US law firms Pryor Cashman and Caplan Ross.

“Like many others, this is why I went to law school,” enthused SDD president Russell Smith, who is also a partner of US law firm Smith Dehn LLP, which procures the majority of mandates for SDD and often works side-by-side with the LPO.

“Fight The Power Foundation [is] a non-profit entity that will finance the claims of hundreds of music recording artists who have been cheated out of their royalties by unscrupulous record companies,” explained Smith.

“The need is urgent, as many artists who created hit records many years ago are now living in poverty, while their record companies continue to collect millions of dollars in publishing and recording royalties.

“The targeted companies simply refuse to honour their contracts with the artists, believing that the artists will never have the resources to sue. If and when artists do take action, the companies hire big law firms to bury the artists and their lawyers in paperwork and legal fees.”

“Ironically, the record companies use the artists' very own royalties to beat the artists down if they dare to litigate,” added Smith.

He said that the FTP Foundation with SDD aimed to “turn the tables” and “level the playing field” by providing a cost-effective means to achieve justice.

The Fight the Power Foundation is currently being incorporated by US rapper Chuck D, who is the founder and frontman for hip hop superstar group Public Enemy, which has been a leading light of the hip hop music scene and had the biggest success with the political hit single Fight The Power in 1989.

SDD has also represented UK comedian and the creator of characters Ali G and Borat, Sacha Baron Cohen, and producers Channel 4.

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