Chris Brown has recently been making headlines for several reasons, including issues surrounding custody and his ongoing legal dispute with his former housekeeper. Now, one of his hit songs is at the center of a new lawsuit, although the singer himself is not directly involved in the case.
Sony is facing legal action over Chris Brown’s hit single “Party,” after the song’s producer alleged that he received only half of the royalties he was entitled to.
On October 16th, ISM, whose real name is Ishmael Sadiq Montague, filed a lawsuit against Sony in a federal court in New York. He claims he reached an agreement with Chris Brown Entertainment that entitled him to a 1.5% royalty on the track, which also features Gucci Mane and Usher. According to Montague, the agreed-upon percentage applies after accounting for his split with A1. However, he alleges that Sony failed to honor the agreement, paying him at a rate of just 0.75%.
The alleged underpayment is only part of Sony’s purported misconduct, according to the lawsuit. Montague said his records were reviewed in July, and he raised the issue with Sony in August, when it was noted that he had received only half of the royalties he was supposed to earn.
Additionally, Montague claims he reached an agreement with Xposure Music Holdings in June to sell his royalty interests. Under the deal, Sony was required to redirect the royalty payments to Xposure after September 1st. However, he alleges that Sony failed to update the payment recipient for six weeks despite the agreement.
The lawsuit also raises concerns about specific terms in the agreement. ISM alleges that Sony asked him to sign a form stating that the payee had no right to audit the company, presenting the provision as a fixed requirement. However, he claims Sony already had another version of the form that did not include that particular condition.
ISM further alleges that Sony initially told him there was no record of his royalty share before later confirming that it had been accounting for “Party.” He also pointed to statements Sony made over the years that allegedly indicated records of the payments had existed all along.
“On August 29, 2026, plaintiff executed the form Sony produced. The executed instrument contains no release, no waiver, and no acknowledgment of any account,” the complaint stated.
ISM is seeking $1,247,500 in damages, punitive damages, and any additional unpaid royalties that have yet to be accounted for.
