Tupac's Mother Files Lawsuit: Afeni Shakur Suing Entertainment One For $1.1 Million In Unpaid Royalties On Behalf of Late Rapper's Estate

Tupac's mother, Afeni Shakur, is suing Entertainment One for $1.1 million in royalties according to Billboard. Afeni, who is the co-administrator of the late rapper's estate, is filing the lawsuit on behalf of her son's estate for money earned from his posthumous album. Courthouse News reports that in court documents that were filed this past week, Afeni is alleging that Entertainment One and Death Row Records have not paid her any royalties over the last four years from the 2007 album Beginnings: The Lost Tapes. The lawsuit is also asking that the record company hand over unreleased master recordings or Tupac material.

Death Row reportedly sold the rights to Tupac's music to Entertainment One, but they were not allowed to do so without permission from Tupac's estate. Afeni claims to have sent an audit to Entertainment One outlining what they owe, but it has gone ignored.

Part of the lawsuit reads (via TheDrop.FM):

"Although DRR [Death Row Records] retained physical possession of the unreleased Tupac material, it had no ownership rights in and no right to sell, license, or otherwise exploit any of the recordings or underlying compositions therein, and plaintiffs are the exclusive owners of all intellectual property rights with respect to the unreleased Tupac material."

Tupac Shakur's estate is still bringing in around $4 million a year, along with a biopic  about the late rapper set for production next year. According to Billboard, Entertainment One spent $280 million to purchase Tupac's music library from Death Row. There is a lot of money at stake from all sides.