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Rap Superstar Lil' Wayne Faces Lawsuit over Lollipop Song

By Kamika Dunlap on May 05, 2010 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Incarcerated rap star Lil' Wayne is facing multiple lawsuits over his Grammy-winning "Lollipop" song.

South Florida producer Jim Jonsin claims that he co-wrote the "Lollipop" song and has filed a $500,000 lawsuit for unpaid music royalties, hipandpop.com reports. Jonsin is suing both Lil' Wayne and his Young Money Entertainment Group.

According to the suit filed in New York federal court, Lil' Wayne's music collective failed to provide any accountings or payments for ringtone and download sales of the song.

In a separate but related lawsuit, Philadelphia rapper/musician Dirahn Gilliams filed a lawsuit in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania claiming Lil' Wayne's "Lollipop" song was derived from his 2007 track "Grindin' Like a Goon."

As previously discussed, Lil' Wayne is currently serving a one-year Rikers Island prison sentence on gun charges.

Defendants in the Gilliams lawsuit include Lil' Wayne, producers Darius "Deezle" Harrison, James "Jim Jonsin" Scheffer, Rex Zamor, Cash Money, Young Money and Universal.

"Lollipop" was the hit single from the smash LP Tha Carter III, which was the best-selling album of 2008. The single reached #1 on Billboard, and has been certified 3X platinum.

As previously discussed, Lil' Wayne pleaded guilty in October to attempted criminal possession of a weapon. The charge stemmed from a 2007 New York traffic stop of his tour bus where a loaded .40 semi-automatic was found in a Louis Vuitton bag.

New York's gun and weapons laws are among the toughest in the country. In that state, simple possession of a concealed handgun carries jail time.

Lil' Wayne pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted weapon possession, a felony.

Under his plea deal, he was given a reduced 12-month sentence. With good behavior, he could end up spending only about eight months behind bars.

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