After a four-year hiatus, Kesha is finally back to belting out pop hits, but that doesn’t mean her legal saga with music producer Dr. Luke is anywhere close to being over. In fact, the contentious court battle has managed to entangle another female pop star: Lady Gaga.

In the latest series of events, Luke’s legal team subpoenaed Gaga to testify in his defamation lawsuit against his former protégée, after several unsuccessful attempts to get her testimony on the record.

Gaga was subpoenaed in relation to a text message conversation between her and Kesha that was submitted into evidence last year, in which Kesha allegedly asked “The Cure” singer to join a “smear campaign” against him. Luke’s lawyers claim Gaga even spread a statement urging Sony Music to cut ties with Luke, according to court documents.

“Dr. Luke’s counsel served a subpoena on Lady Gaga because she has relevant information regarding, among other things, false statements about Dr. Luke made to her by Kesha,” Luke’s lawyer said in a statement on Saturday. “This motion has become necessary because Dr. Luke’s counsel has not been able to obtain, despite repeated request, a deposition date from Lady Gaga.”

Dr. Luke, real name Lukasz Gottwald, sued Kesha for defamation after she claimed he drugged, raped, and emotionally abused her. Gaga showed public support for Kesha throughout her years-long sexual assault case against Luke–including tweeting the popular hashtag #FreeKesha.

There are people all over the world who love you @KeshaRose. And I can say truly I am in awe of your bravery.

— xoxo, Gaga (@ladygaga) February 19, 2016

Gaga’s legal team responded to the subpoena with the following statement to Variety over the weekend:

As Lady Gaga‘s legal team will present to the court, she has provided all of the relevant information in her possession and is at most an ancillary witness in this process. Dr. Luke’s team is attempting to manipulate the truth and draw press attention to their case by exaggerating Lady Gaga‘s role and falsely accusing her of dodging reasonable requests.

Unfortunately, we can’t look at the text exchange for ourselves, because the judge sealed the messages between Gaga and Kesha, making the content confidential.

Now that the subpoena has been issued, Gaga will be required to set a date to appear in-person for a three-hour deposition. Many other celebrities are expected to provide testimony as well in the case.

In July, Kesha made a triumphant return to music with her emotional first single “Praying,” which appears to be inspired by her conflict with Luke. The track will appear on her brand new album “Rainbow”–her first in five years–which is expected to be released in August.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Lady Gaga Dodges Dr. Luke Subpoena in Kesha Defamation Case appeared first on Law Street.

Andrew Puzder Withdraws From Consideration as Labor Secretary

Yesterday afternoon, President Donald Trump’s nominee for the Secretary of Labor, Andrew Puzder, withdrew from the process. The decision came after reports that at least four, and possibly as many as 12 Republican senators, were going to vote “no.”

Personal issues plagued Puzder throughout the confirmation process. Allegations that he hired an undocumented immigrant as a housekeeper didn’t sit well with many senators. And in 1990, his ex-wife appeared on Oprah’s show and accused him of abuse.

Andrew Puzder’s ex-wife on Oprah in 1990: His physical abuse caused permanent damage. https://t.co/DmeFOhVOZq pic.twitter.com/odEE0mfNhp

— Slate (@Slate) February 15, 2017

There were also allegations that Puzder mismanaged restaurants when he served as CEO of the company that owns Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s. Employees said they have filed a total of 33 complaints against his company, alleging wage theft, manipulated overtime, sexual harassment, and unfair labor practices. “No matter how you cut it, there is no worse pick for labor secretary than Andrew Puzder, and I’m encouraged my Republican colleagues are starting to agree,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer yesterday.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: February 16, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

With great fame comes great…er chances of being sued. Nobody knows this fact better than celebrities, and 2016 was no different. This past year we saw some of our most beloved stars entangled in celebrity court battles ranging from the bizarre to the just plain wrong. For the sake of nostalgia, here are our picks for the top celebrity legal battles of 2016!

10. Lindsey Lohan Loses to Grand Theft Auto

Lindsey Lohan suing @RockstarGames over Grand Theft Auto 5 character pic.twitter.com/5TPQpDnVRL

— RushLimpCall (@rushlimpcall) October 11, 2014

Actress Lindsey Lohan was convinced Grand Theft Auto V illegally used her likeness when creating its infamous red bikini girl, Lacey Jonas. As a result, she sued the game’s makers back in 2014, but it wasn’t until 2016 that her case was eventually dismissed. The overall judgement concluded:

[They are depictions] not of Lohan herself, but merely the avatar in the game that Lohan claims is a depiction of her.

Even if we accept plaintiffs’ contentions that the video game depictions are close enough to be considered representations of the respective plaintiffs, plaintiffs’ claims should be dismissed because this video game does not fall under the statutory definitions of ‘advertising’ or ‘trade’.

Better luck next time LiLo.

Read: Lindsay Lohan’s Lawsuit Against “Grand Theft Auto V” Will Proceed

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Top 10 Celebrity Legal Battles of 2016 appeared first on Law Street.

Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

Good Guy Apple Replaces Pistol Emoji With Water Gun

Apple is finally getting rid of the pistol emoji after a year of pushback from anti-gun activist groups. Most notably, New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, which launched a campaign aimed specifically at “disarming the iPhone.” In an open letter, the group asked Apple to remove the gun emoji “as a symbolic gesture to limit gun accessibility.” The gun emoji and other weapons emojis have been blamed for inciting violence among young people. This week, Apple announced that it would be replacing the pistol with a toy water gun as an ethical measure in its next iOS. Although this is a great step for the tech giant, there is still a lot of work to do in gun violence prevention. Apple will release iOS 10 this fall.

Apple will replace its pistol emoji with a squirt gun: https://t.co/gLdlFU7Jni pic.twitter.com/7TBUHRi6tu

— New York Magazine (@NYMag) August 2, 2016

Rant Crush

RantCrush collects the top trending topics in the law and policy world each day just for you.

The post RantCrush Top 5: August 2, 2016 appeared first on Law Street.

The pop star who brought us such hits as “Tik Tok” and “Your Love Is My Drug” has been going through an intense legal battle over her contract with her producer and alleged rapist, Dr. Luke. Her lawsuit hit a snag last week when a New York judge denied Kesha an injunction that would have allowed her to record with other studios, instead forcing her to remain in her contract until the details of the lawsuit are settled.

Kesha’s fight against Dr. Luke has been in the public eye since 2013, when fans began the campaign to “Free Kesha” from Dr. Luke’s control. The singer soon revealed that her producer had not only restricted her music and lyrics, but verbally, physically and sexually abused her, culminating in a stay at a rehab facility. She filed the lawsuit in 2014 in an attempt to break her contract and record music elsewhere.

After the injunction was denied, Dr. Luke broke his silence on the matter, claiming he has never assaulted Kesha. Despite his statements, the singer has received an outpouring of support from fans and celebrities, including a $250,000 donation from Taylor Swift.

But regardless of whether or not you believe Dr. Luke or you believe Kesha, the denied injunction means the same thing: Dr. Luke and his record label’s money is more important than the well-being and mental state of the singer whom they claim to represent. Given the gravity of the allegations against Dr. Luke, it should not be the case that Kesha must stay in a career-throttling contract with her alleged abuser until he is proven guilty.

Contracts in the music industry are notoriously bad about allowing musicians any sort of artistic freedom, often signing them on for long periods of time with constricting regulations.  Of the injunction, the judge said, “You’re asking the court to decimate a contract that was heavily negotiated and typical for the industry.”

What makes her case atypical, however, are the rape and abuse allegations. Denying her an out is an attempt to diminish her claims, and the action shows a lack of support for rape victims in general. It says to them that, until their claims are proven, it didn’t happen. This is a result of the victim-blaming society in which we live, where rape victims are questioned and their abusers are allowed to go free.

In Kesha’s case, what more proof is needed? She has gone through rehabilitation and treatment for the trauma she experienced, and is pursuing a lengthy and expensive legal solution to her misery. If an artist simply wanted to break a contract, there are simpler ways to do so.

Morgan McMurray

Morgan McMurray is an editor and gender equality blogger based in Seattle, Washington. A 2013 graduate of Iowa State University, she has a Bachelor of Arts in English, Journalism, and International Studies. She spends her free time writing, reading, teaching dance classes, and binge-watching Netflix. Contact Morgan at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Kesha’s Denied Injunction Spits In The Faces Of Rape Victims appeared first on Law Street.

Kesha’s contract dispute with Sony Entertainment is off to a rough start after a New York judge denied a preliminary injunction against her alleged rapist and music producer Dr. Luke on Friday. This is inevitably a huge blow for the “Timber” pop star, whose career has been on an indefinite hiatus while she’s battled to be released from her recording contract with Sony and Luke’s Kemosabe Records.

New York Supreme Court Justice Shirley Kornreich sided with Dr. Luke, born Luke Gottwald, and Sony stating, “You’re asking the court to decimate a contract that was heavily negotiated and typical for the industry.” Even though Kesha claims Dr. Luke drugged, raped, and verbally and physically abused her for 10 years, the judge determined there wasn’t sufficient evidence present to support her claims, or release her immediately from the contracts.

During the proceedings Sony stated that, contrary to belief, it has offered to let Kesha work with other producers in order to fulfill her contractual duties, but the singer refused the option saying she feared the label wouldn’t promote her music as heavily if she wasn’t working with their biggest hitmaker, Gottwald. However, it’s highly unlikely that Sony would intentionally sabotage its $60 million investment in Kesha’s career by refusing to promote her work.

Dr. Luke, who has been relatively silent over the scandal, finally broke his silence and publicly denied Kesha’s sexual assault allegations Monday on Twitter.

Imagine if you or somebody you loved was publicly accused of a rape you knew they didn’t do. Imagine that.

— Dr. Luke Doctor Luke (@TheDoctorLuke) February 22, 2016

Kesha and I made a lot of songs together and it was often good but there were creative differences at times. — Dr. Luke Doctor Luke (@TheDoctorLuke) February 22, 2016

But I feel confident when this is over the lies will be exposed and the truth will prevail.. — Dr. Luke Doctor Luke (@TheDoctorLuke) February 22, 2016

Even if Kesha’s case isn’t off to a good start in court, she’s already winning in the court of public opinion. Several singers and celebrities, including Lena Dunham, Demi Lovato, Lady Gaga, and Taylor Swift have already begun to come to the singer’s defense and lend their support. Swift even donated $250,000 to Kesha to help with her legal fees, but was later criticized by Lovato who argued that speaking out on the issue would have had more of an impact.

Even though Kesha lost the preliminary injunction hearing, the case is hardly over–in fact it’s just starting. Kesha is still free to try her case in court. If she does end up losing the case she will have to continue recording with Sony, but if the association with Dr. Luke is still too much, her only option may be to buy herself out of her contract.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Dr. Luke Breaks Silence, Denies Ever Sexually Assaulting Kesha appeared first on Law Street.

Pop singer Kesha will appear in court next week to hear the judge’s decision on her contract with her producer Dr. Luke. In October 2014, the singer filed a lawsuit against the producer for sexual, physical and emotional abuse. He responded by filing charges against her for defamation–which were dismissed by a New York judge earlier this month (although the suit Dr. Luke filed in Tennessee is still active). As the legal battle has played out over the past two years, Kesha has suspended her musical career, not by choice, but because her contract with Dr. Luke’s company prevents her from recording with another label. The social media campaign #FreeKesha has picked up considerable momentum in the past several months and has raised questions about how much power managers and producers have over the artists they work with. Controlling a musician’s contract means control not only over their creative process, but often over their finances. Read on for a look at who controls royalties in the music industry.

Contracts in the Music Industry

When an artist signs a contract with a record label, they usually give the company ownership of the copyright on their music for the full life of the copyright. This leaves artists vulnerable because it designates even unreleased music as the property of the label. One notable artist who has secured a reversion of this copyright is Robbie Williams, who managed to secure the return of his “masters” in the contract he signed with EMI–ownership of his albums will eventually return to Williams rather than the label. In exchange for relinquishing their copyright, artists are given royalties–which are based on record sales. Artists receive a full royalty rate for any album they sell through normal retail channels but may receive only a fraction of that royalty for records that are sold at a discount rate or through a record club. Artists are also often expected to pay a producer’s royalty out of their own royalty share. While record companies aim to make royalty rates as attractive as possible, as attorney Anthony N. Luti explains, there are hidden cuts to royalties that all artists may face:

Artists normally get no royalties on records given away free for promotional purposes ‘All-in’ royalty rate deductions: most royalty rates are ‘all-in.’ This means that you must pay the producer out of your royalties. Typically, a producer will take 3 points (3%) which lowers your royalty rate even further. ‘Packaging’ deductions: the theory behind this deduction is that the band pays for the packaging of the CD and tape. Typically, these deductions range from 15 to 30 percent of your royalty rate. As a result, a 12% royalty rate and a 25% packaging deduction lowers your actual royalty rate to 9%.

A recording contract is more than just the exchange of recorded music for royalty payments. Recording contracts almost always require the artist to sign an exclusivity agreement with the label. If an artist wants to collaborate with another artist (particularly one on a different label) they will need to have a “sideman” clause built into their contract. The contract also dictates the territory where an artist can distribute music, tour support, and promotion of the music once it is released. Terminating the contract is a complex process. Hyper successful artists can sometimes afford to break their contracts or renegotiate them to a better financial position, but most artists are locked into an initial contract. A 12 month contract may not seem like a major commitment but when a record label constantly renews the contract, the company can retain the rights to years worth of creative work, even if the album is never released to the public.

Technology Changing The Game

Music royalties and administration are becoming more equitable thanks to technological advances, and now online companies help close the gap between artists and other services. One prime example is Music Reports, a global music administrative rights platform that has created a neutral transaction platform where music producers can handle rights administration and accounting.  In a recent interview with Law Street, Bill Colitre, Music Reports’ VP of Business & Legal Affairs, discussed how recording houses once controlled the relationship between buyers and sellers. Thanks to the advent of the Internet, the music publishing community can now set rights and prices via online platforms.

Colitre also described how the Internet has tapped into worldwide creativity, letting new entrants participate in a market that they traditionally took a backseat in. The global connectivity of the twenty-first century is making a historically rigged game increasingly equitable.  The assemblage of music rights and information online let artists and producers have greater control over their products while online financial services help them get paid faster and more efficiently. However, even with access to better accounting, most artists are still vulnerable to exploitation if they have not negotiated their contracts correctly.

Promoting Music Without a Record Label

Choosing to forgo a record deal does let artists retain control of their copyright but it also cuts them off from the promotional power that only an established label can provide. Self-released albums often rely on a marketing agency to promote them. Without the infrastructure of a traditional record company, artists have no way to meet DJs and promoters who can connect their album with the listening public.

British rock band Enter Shikari cracked the U.K.’s top five charts in 2007 with a self-released album and rapper Dom Kennedy reached the U.S.’s top five in 2013 but have neither have maintained that level of commercial success over time. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis made a name for themselves by promoting their album “The Heist” without signing onto a record label but their claim to indie fame is not entirely factual. The duo hired Alternative Distribution Alliance (ADA), a branch of the Warner Music Group, to promote their album.

Numerous artists who achieved commercial success with a major label chose to build their own record companies after their contracts expired, but they only were able to establish their own brands once they had built a significant popular following. OK Go was fortunate enough to break with their initial record label right as they released their third album–they were able to re-release the album off of their new label, using the publicity they had received from their original label to kickstart their own enterprise. Cyrus’ recent Dead Petz album was created without financial or creative assistance from her RCA team, but she is fortunate enough to be in a position where she did not need that kind of support from the label (and the label did go on to promote her album, despite its lack of involvement in its creation). Both Peter Gabriel and the Who have self-released albums, but the success of those records was built on the fame they had already garnered from the years during which they were tied to a label.

 Conclusion

There are a host of reasons why a record label might delay or block an album’s release but no matter how it happens, gagging a musician is usually legal under the contract they signed. The shifting metrics of the music industry–from physical records to digital albums to streaming–provide new opportunities for artists but don’t necessarily guarantee more relaxed recording contracts. Kesha is not the only artist to speak out about restrictive contracts–Jojo, who only returned to creating music recently, has stated that she was unable to release music for years because of a contract she had signed when she was a minor and Sky Ferreira‘s label pushed her album release date back again and again. For major artists who have already built a successful brand, record labels may be more willing to provide them with flexible contracts that they can renegotiate or terminate without massive legal penalties. However, for artists who are just breaking into the music scene or who are looking to retain a degree of creative and financial control, recording contracts can still be so restrictive that they undermine that artist’s ability to work.

Resources

People: Legal Win for Kesha in Dr. Luke Lawsuit: Judge Dismisses Claims

Sound on Sound: Recording Contracts Explained

The Wall Street Journal: Pop Star Robbie Williams Signs a Massive EMI Deal

Luti Law Firm: Recording Contracts 101: The Basics

NPR: The Real Story Of How Macklemore Got ‘Thrift Shop’ To No. 1

NPR: To Sign Or Not To Sign: Artists Big And Small Face The Label Question

Billboard: U.K.’s Enter Shikari Scores Without Label

Fobres: How Rapper Dom Kennedy Made It Without A Record Deal

Paste Magazine: 14 Artists who Launched Their Own Labels 

Music Times: Miley Cyrus’ Surprise New Album Surprised Her Label RCA Records

Huffington Post: OK Go Talk Creative Music Videos and Life Without a Label

US: JoJo Claims ‘Bad Contract’ Meant She Couldn’t Release Music, ‘Didn’t Legally Own’ Her Own Voice

Buzzfeed: What It’s Like When A Label Won’t Release Your Album

Jillian Sequeira

Jillian Sequeira was a member of the College of William and Mary Class of 2016, with a double major in Government and Italian. When she’s not blogging, she’s photographing graffiti around the world and worshiping at the altar of Elon Musk and all things Tesla. Contact Jillian at Staff@LawStreetMedia.com

The post When The Show Can’t Go On: Dissecting Music Industry Contracts appeared first on Law Street.

After years of having her career suspended in legal limbo, pop star Kesha will finally learn her music’s fate Tuesday when her sexual assault injunction hearing goes before the New York Supreme Court.

The singer announced the update on Instagram with an image of an overpass with “life’s full of bumps” graffitied on it. She captioned the photo with the following message,

The universe is speaking to me today. I am filled with so much anxiety and hope and nerves and doubt and all my emotions are going crazy. if u pray, I could use one this week. I find out the fate of my career Tuesday…

In October 2014, Kesha filed a lawsuit against estranged producer Dr. Luke accusing him of sexually assaulting her for 10 years. Despite the allegations, Sony refused to release the singer from her contract with Kemosabe Records label that obligates her to complete three more studio albums with Dr. Luke. As a result Kesha’s career has been put on pause since she has been unable to to release any new music for over two years because she refuses to work with her alleged abuser.

The pop star has been keeping her eager fans updated on her plight with regular posts on her social media accounts.

Kesha posted this on Instagram #FreeKesha https://t.co/yUS7HwZZ0G/ pic.twitter.com/uNksnN3fSP

— Kesha | FOTP (@FOTPKesha) January 25, 2016

Over the weekend the fan account @KeshaTODAY distributed a cellphone video message in which Kesha sings “Amazing Grace” telling fans, “I can’t put out new music, but I can sing a little something of someone else’s songs.”

Despite the lack of new music, Kesha’s fans have stood by her side and supported her fight. They even created an online petition with over 110,000 signatures and viral hashtags such as #FreeKesha, #FreedomforKesha, and #SonySupportsRape  to protest the injustice. In support of her upcoming court case, her supporters have also planned a protest outside of the New York courthouse for the day of her hearing.

Despite the circumstances, Kesha has put on a brave face for the public by trying to keep a positive outlook on the proceedings, but it’s unclear how the court will decide in her injunction hearing. Unfortunately for fans, if a resolution can’t be made, this could spell the end for her career.

Update:

Winter storm Jonas has pushed Kesha’s hearing back a couple weeks. The singer informed supporters Monday afternoon with a picture of a heart on her Instagram captioned,

I love everyone. Thank you for your support. Due to travel problems with the weather it’s been postponed until feb 19.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Sexual Assault Legal Battle: Kesha Will Find Out Her Fate Soon appeared first on Law Street.

The top stories published at Law Street last week included a look at Kesha’s contract woes, an innovative seed storage program, and a rundown of the 2015 election results. ICYMI, here are the top stories from Law Street last week:

#1 Sony Reportedly Refuses to Let Kesha Record New Music Without Her Alleged Rapist

If you were wondering why pop star Kesha hasn’t put out any new music since being featured on Pitbull’s 2013 smash hit “Timber” there’s an unsettling reason. The singer has put her career on the line in an attempt to free herself from being forced to work with producer Dr. Luke, who she says sexually and emotionally abused her for ten years. Read the full story here.

#2 Seeds of Hope: Inside the Doomsday Seed Vault

October 19 marked the first time in history that the Svalbard Global Seed Vault wasopened up for a withdrawal. Often referred to as the “doomsday vault,” the seed vault was built to serve as a backstop for plant extinction, storing seeds for individual countries to ensure that plant diversity is not lost in a catastrophe. While weather disasters and global warming pose significant threats to the future of agriculture, the recent withdrawal was the result of the war in Syria. Researchers sought additional seeds as the multi-year war significantly reduced their supply of drought-resistant wheat. The idea of a last-resort vault full of the world’s seeds may surprise many, but the planning and implementation of the world’s seed bank have been a long and thought-out process. Read the full story here.

#3 The Results are in: Election Day 2015

A breakdown of the results of some of the most important races to watch, including the Virginia Senate, San Francisco’s Airbnb regulations, the Kentucky Governor’s race, Ohio’s marijuana initiative, and Houston’s equal rights ordinance. Read the full story here.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post ICYMI: Best of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

If you were wondering why pop star Kesha hasn’t put out any new music since being featured on Pitbull’s 2013 smash hit “Timber” there’s an unsettling reason. The singer has put her career on the line in an attempt to free herself from being forced to work with producer Dr. Luke, who she says sexually and emotionally abused her for ten years.

Kesha Pushes For Injunction Against Dr. Luke, Citing Her … : https://t.co/hLMkLRoulq . pic.twitter.com/91NftKq9yR

— BINGBING Play (@BINGBING_PLAY) November 2, 2015

In October 2014 Kesha, whose birth name is Kesha Rose Sebert, filed a lawsuit against producer Lukasz Sebastian Gottwald, aka Dr. Luke, for alleged sexual assault and battery, sexual harassment, gender violence, emotional abuse, and violation of California business practices during their 10 years of working together. The lawsuit states,

For the past ten years, Dr. Luke has sexually, physically, verbally, and emotionally abused Ms. Sebert to the point where Ms. Sebert nearly lost her life. Dr. Luke abused Ms. Sebert in order to destroy her self-confidence, self-image, and self-worth so that he could maintain complete control over her life and career.

In Kesha’s graphic account of some of the alleged abuse, she says on one occasion she woke up naked in Dr. Luke’s bed, sore and sick, and with no memory of how she got there after he allegedly gave her “sober pills,” that she now believes to have been the date rape drug GHB.

Dr. Luke responded to the allegations with a lawsuit of his own against Kesha and her management, alleging that Kesha fabricated the rape allegations in an attempt to breach her contract.

A spokesperson for Dr. Luke told the Hollywood Reporter,

If Kesha now regrets her career being mired in legal proceedings, it’s entirely her making. It was Kesha who chose to file a lawsuit falsely alleging abuse to gain advantage in contract negotiations, and now she must accept the consequences of her improper actions. As long as she continues to stand by her false claims of abuse against Dr. Luke and remains in breach of her contracts, he will continue to protect his professional and personal reputation, as well as his contractual rights, in a court of law. He looks forward to obtaining judgments in his favor.

Now, it’s one year later and Kesha says she’s struggling to keep her career afloat, because she refuses to continue recording new music with her alleged abuser. Kesha is still locked in a contract obligating her to complete three more studio albums with Dr. Luke and his Kemosabe Records label, which is owned by Sony.

This summer she expanded her lawsuit to include Sony, alleging that they supported and “ratified” his behavior. Despite the serious allegations against Dr. Luke, Sony reportedly has no plans to allow her to record with another producer. Clearly you can see Kesha’s dilemma: she can either (a) finish out her contract with her alleged abuser, or (b) watch her career tik-tok away.

Supporters have rallied behind her with the help of trending hashtags #FreedomforKesha and #SonySupportsRape.

Kesha’s lastest solo single was released 915 days, 130.7 weeks, 30.5 months, 2.5 years ago… #FreedomForKesha #SonyMusicSupportsRape — KESHA FACTS (@musicnews_kesha) November 1, 2015

Ppl wonder why rape victims nvr speak up. Kesha did & now she has to work w her rapist or not at all #SonyMusicSupportsRape #FreedomForKesha — woke princess (@zmjr_) October 31, 2015

A record company should be concerned about their artists careers and well-being. Not defending rapist scum #sonysupportsrape #freeKesha — Trevor Wolff (@SnarkyWolff) October 31, 2015

Kesha recently filed another preliminary injunction in the hopes of pushing a judge to rule on her case. According to the LA Times, Kesha’s attorney, celebrity lawyer Mark Geragos, notes in the new filing that Kesha’s “brand value has fallen” and that if the court doesn’t do something soon her career might fall “past the point of no return.”

If the court doesn’t rule on her case soon Kesha may have no other option than to fulfill her contract with Dr. Luke. But any music made under that kind of duress will most likely never measure up to her previous success.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Sony Reportedly Refuses to Let Kesha Record New Music Without Her Alleged Rapist appeared first on Law Street.

The grunge-pop diva we all know and love (or love to hate), Kesha, filed a lawsuit this week against her long-time producer claiming that he sexually and emotionally abused her for years. The producer, Lukasz Gottwald — “Dr. Luke” — was the one who discovered her at age 17 and convinced her to drop out of high school to pursue a career in music.

According to Kesha, the abuse started early and for the last ten years has kept her from moving to a different label, having control over her own music, and caused her to develop an eating disorder and subsequently enter rehab. She cites at least one count of rape following the consumption of a date rape drug, and alleges that Gottwald sexually assaulted her multiple times while forcing her to drink alcohol and take drugs. Gottwald has since filed an opposing suit, claiming defamation and breach of contract.

This is not the first time Kesha and Gottwald have been the subject of controversy. In 2013, around the time Kesha’s documentary “My Crazy Beautiful Life”  came out, fans started a petition to release Kesha from Gottwald’s control. The petition claims that  “Dr. Luke is controlling Ke$ha like a puppet, feeding her what she doesn’t want, and her creativity is dwindling and affected negativity (sic)” and that Kesha had little to no creative control over her most recent album.

In the short time since the lawsuits became public, skeptics have asked why Kesha waited so long to complain, or if she is just doing this to get out of her contract, and even saying she is lying because how can a sex symbol accuse someone of sexual assault?

These negative allegations aside, the majority of Kesha fans have shouted their support for the singer’s case, using the Twitter hashtag #StayStrongKesha.

An argument could be made for the idea that Kesha is making it all up to get out of her contract, but I just don’t think this is the case here. Her complaint has pages and pages filled with detailed and disturbing accounts of assault that span years. Accusing someone of sexual assault and rape are serious allegations that are not taken lightly, and if the victim is found to be lying the consequences are severe. Kesha is a smart woman, and by many accounts a near genius who was bound for lofty academic achievement before joining the music industry. Her intelligence does not protect her from being taken advantage of, since even the smartest men and women can be overwhelmed when in unfamiliar territory. It seems Kesha’s “mentor” knew this.

Saying that Kesha is lying because of her style, her sex symbol status, or her music is an argument that has no basis in logic. It stems from the idea that because someone dresses a certain way, or shares their sexuality more than others, they can’t cry “rape” when sexual predators target them.

It will be interesting to see how this case plays out, but Kesha and Gottwald obviously have some sort of toxic relationship that needs to end. Regardless of whether her claims are true or not, they need to be taken seriously. It doesn’t matter how famous a person is, or how long they waited to speak up; sexual assault is never okay and victims of it should be supported. Reacting negatively to cases like this discourages people in similar situations from coming forward, and encourages a society in which rape is covered up. Unfortunately, due to her fame and Gottwald’s counter case, Kesha’s fight has just begun.

Both Kesha’s lawsuit and Gottwald’s counter suit can be found here.

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Morgan McMurray (@mcflurrybatman) is a freelance copywriter and blogger based in Savannah, Georgia. She spends her time writing, reading, and attempting to dance gracefully. She has also been known to binge-watch Netflix while knitting scarves.

Featured image courtesy of [rocor via Flickr]

Morgan McMurray

Morgan McMurray is an editor and gender equality blogger based in Seattle, Washington. A 2013 graduate of Iowa State University, she has a Bachelor of Arts in English, Journalism, and International Studies. She spends her free time writing, reading, teaching dance classes, and binge-watching Netflix. Contact Morgan at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

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