A former road manager and personal assistant to So So Def founder Jermaine Dupri is suing the music producer and artist for four years of unpaid overtime wages, according to a filling in federal court in Atlanta.
In the lawsuit filed this week, recording engineer Tadd Mingo said he worked for Dupri from May 2010 until he was forced to resign this year. During the period, Mingo said he worked an average of 65 hours a week but was never compensated for the overtime.
Efforts were being made Friday to reach Dupri and Atlanta-based So So Def for comment.
According to music industry researcher AllMusic, Mingo has worked with a variety of well-known artists since 2001, including Usher, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Lionel Richie, LL Cool J and Dupri.
Mingo accuses Dupri of breach of contract and “unjust enrichment.” He said he has made numerous requests for the back pay but has only received “empty reassurances” from Dupri, according to the lawsuit.
The complaint, which accuses Dupri of violating the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, does not say how much overtime Mingo believes he is owed. He is also seeking damages and attorney’s fees.
Last year, Dupri, a Grammy-winning producer, songwriter and performer, was in a legal battle with SunTrust Bank, which sued him and So So Def over non-payment of $1.9 million on a loan. In response, Dupri sued SunTrust, claiming the loan was improperly altered, leaving him with "unachievable payment terms" and fighting state and federal tax liens.
