Chris Brown Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Songwriting Royalties Dispute

Chris Brown is facing a federal lawsuit filed by songwriter Steve Chokpelle, also known as Muse, who claims he has been denied royalties for his contributions to two of Brown’s popular tracks. The lawsuit, lodged on February 4, 2024, alleges that Chokpelle co-wrote the songs “Sensational” from Brown’s 2023 album 11:11 and “Monalisa,” a collaboration featuring Sean Kingston.

Chokpelle asserts he penned the lyrics for “Sensational,” which topped Billboard’s Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart and reached No. 71 on the Billboard Hot 100. He also claims he contributed to the lyrics of “Monalisa,” which reached No. 8 on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart and No. 38 on the Rhythmic Airplay chart.

In the court documents, Chokpelle states, “Defendants sustained a tremendous benefit, and shall continue to receive tremendous benefit, by [earning] millions in revenues, acclaim, accolades and goodwill from the commercial exploitation of ‘Monalisa’ and ‘Sensational.’” He alleges that the defendants have unjustly enriched themselves at his expense by failing to acknowledge his authorship and copyright ownership interests.

According to the lawsuit, the lyrics for “Monalisa” were written during a 2020 session at Brown’s residence in Tarzana, California, where Chokpelle collaborated with Brown and Kingston. He claims he did not receive credit for the song and was not compensated despite its commercial success.

Chokpelle further asserts that he wrote the lyrics for “Sensational” in 2023 in collaboration with producer Onyekachi Emenalo, known as Krazytunez. Although he is credited as a composer for the track, Chokpelle states he was intentionally omitted from the copyright registration and has received “no revenues whatsoever” from the song.

The lawsuit seeks a court order to recognize Chokpelle as an author and co-copyright owner of both tracks. It also demands at least $1 million in damages for claims of unjust enrichment and fraud against Brown, Kingston, Sony Music Entertainment, and Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG).

Representatives for Brown, Sony, and UMPG did not respond to requests for comment following the lawsuit’s filing. Kingston, who is currently serving a federal prison sentence for an unrelated fraud conviction, could not be reached for comment.

This case highlights ongoing disputes in the music industry regarding copyright and compensation, raising broader questions about the rights of songwriters and their recognition in the commercial landscape. As the legal proceedings unfold, the outcome may have significant implications for all parties involved.