T.I. is again navigating a legal dispute tied to the business side of his music career, this time involving Cinq Music. In 2017, he sold a significant portion of his catalog to the label. This deal was widely reported at the time by industry outlets including Billboard. The current disagreement centers on his claim that a contractual option allowing him to repurchase those masters at a reduced price is being blocked. According to his filing, the price being demanded now is tens of millions of dollars higher than what he believes the agreement permits.
His attorney, Robert Jacobs of Manatt Phelps & Phillips, frames the dispute as a breakdown in honoring those original terms. The lawsuit alleges, “Cinq regretted that it had agreed to the [option terms], and, therefore … did everything it could to frustrate plaintiffs’ efforts to complete the purchase,” describing what the filing characterizes as resistance to the buyback process. T.I. also contends that the valuation was later adjusted in a way that significantly increased the financial burden.
At the center of his broader argument is the claim that pricing was deliberately pushed upward. The complaint states, “Using these tactics Cinq sought to extract a purchase price from plaintiffs that was nearly 20 times higher than the price mandated by the parties’ agreed-upon formula,” suggesting a sharp departure from the original structure of the deal. The case reflects a growing pattern of disputes in the music industry over catalog ownership and long-term valuation.
T.I.–50 Cent Feud Escalates, Drawing Family Into the Mix
The legal fight comes as T.I. is also dealing with renewed public tension involving 50 Cent. After a podcast interview in which he said a proposed Verzuz battle fell apart, the exchange escalated on social media and drew in family members, including Tiny Harris. Their sons, King and Domani Harris, responded with diss tracks that referenced 50 Cent’s past legal and personal controversies.
T.I. later reflected on the situation during an interview, saying he felt King crossed a line by referencing 50 Cent’s late mother.
