Dallas Rapper Yella Beezy Convicted in $40,000 Murder-For-Hire Plot Targeting MO3

Yella Beezy appears in a 2025 interview with Boss Talk 101. The Dallas rapper was convicted Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, of capital murder in the killing of fellow rapper MO3. (Boss Talk 101 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0)

Six years to the day after Dallas rapper MO3 was chased down and shot to death on a busy interstate, a jury convicted fellow rapper Yella Beezy of paying to have him killed.

Yella Beezy, 35, whose legal name is Markies Conway, was found guilty Wednesday of capital murder in the Nov. 11, 2020, killing of Melvin Noble, better known as MO3. The unanimous verdict brought a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

The conviction followed more than two weeks of testimony in a case that put a yearslong Dallas rap feud under the scrutiny of prosecutors, defense attorneys and a jury weighing allegations of a $40,000 murder-for-hire plot.

Prosecutors said Conway arranged for Kewon White to kill Noble, a rising Dallas rapper whose music had reached a wider audience through his collaborations with Boosie Badazz.

Noble, 28, was driving on Interstate 35 in south Dallas around noon when White pulled alongside his vehicle, authorities said. Noble got out and ran along the highway as White pursued him with a gun.

Prosecutors said White fired more than 40 rounds from an AK-47-style pistol. Noble was fatally wounded, and a motorist caught in the gunfire was injured but survived.

White was convicted of capital murder in September and also sentenced to life without parole.

But convicting the gunman was only part of the prosecution's case. Investigators spent years trying to establish who arranged the killing and whether money changed hands.

During Conway's trial, prosecutors presented cellphone records, financial transactions and witness testimony that they said connected him to the plot. They pointed to a $40,000 cash withdrawal and communications among men allegedly involved in coordinating the attack.

The defense disputed those connections, challenging the reliability of witnesses and arguing that investigators had built their case around assumptions about the rivalry.

Defense attorney John Gussio told jurors the prosecution had offered extensive speculation rather than sufficient proof of capital murder.

The trial also exposed conflicts in witness testimony. Rapper Jose Bodega, whose legal name is Theodore Thomas, disputed his earlier grand jury account of the feud, prompting the judge to allow prosecutors to question him as a hostile witness.

In closing arguments Tuesday, prosecutors returned to the money, the alleged coordination among the participants and statements they said demonstrated Conway's desire for revenge.

The jury rejected the defense's arguments and returned its verdict Wednesday, the sixth anniversary of Noble's death.

Another defendant, Devin Brown, faces a capital murder charge in connection with the killing and has not been tried. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

For Dallas hip-hop, the case brought two very different careers back into the same headlines.

Conway broke through nationally with his 2017 single "That's On Me" and later collaborated with Quavo and Gucci Mane on "Bacc At It Again."

Noble built a following with his raw, melodic storytelling, including "Errybody" and its popular remix with Boosie Badazz. The two also released the collaborative project "Badazz MO3" in 2020, months before Noble's death.

MO3 and Boosie Badazz in the official music video for "Everybody" (Remix), released in 2019. (HSM/YouTube)

Producers Sue Ye, Ty Dolla $ign Over Alleged Unlicensed ‘Vultures’ Recording

Ye, left, and Ty Dolla $ign are shown in a composite of separate archival photographs. The rappers face a federal copyright lawsuit alleging unauthorized use of a recording on their song "Vultures." (Composite by Célestin Denis via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)

A music file sent to Ty Dolla $ign by text message is now at the center of a federal copyright lawsuit accusing him and Ye of using another pair of producers' work without permission on their hit "Vultures."


Producers Jaraed "Jae Deal" Deal and Marlon "Marlonwiththeglasses" Barrow filed the complaint Friday in Los Angeles, alleging the rappers incorporated a recording the producers created in 2018 into multiple versions of "Vultures" without securing a license or properly compensating them.

The lawsuit names Ye, formerly known as Kanye West; Ty Dolla $ign, whose legal name is Tyrone Griffin Jr.; Yeezy Record Label LLC; Yeezy LLC; and distributor Create Music Group.

According to the 24-page filing, Deal and Barrow jointly created a track called "Joint 2," including separate instrumental recordings featuring piano, brass, strings, flutes and Rhodes keyboard.

Barrow had known Ty Dolla $ign for years, the lawsuit says.

INSIDE THE "VULTURES" LAWSUIT

Producers Jae Deal and Marlonwiththeglasses allege that music they created in 2018 was used without authorization in multiple versions of Ye and Ty Dolla $ign's song.

The complaint describes an MP3 sent by text message, an unsigned licensing agreement, disputed producer credits and an attempted buyout.

Filed Nov. 6, 2026
U.S. District Court, Central District of California
Case No. 2:26-cv-13035

Read the original 24-page federal complaint

These are allegations made by the plaintiffs; no liability has been determined.

During a telephone conversation, Ty allegedly heard the recording playing in the background and expressed interest in using it. He later visited Barrow's studio and requested a copy.

Barrow sent him an MP3 by text message, the producers say, with the understanding that higher-quality audio files and individual instrumental tracks would be delivered only after a written agreement was negotiated.

That agreement never materialized.

The producers allege that Ty Dolla $ign subsequently shared the MP3 with Ye and that portions of the recording appeared in multiple commercially released versions of "Vultures" beginning in November 2023.

Barrow received a production credit but no compensation, according to the lawsuit. Deal alleges he received neither credit nor payment.

The producers say they objected shortly after learning the song had been released and sought to have it removed from streaming platforms.

They also describe a January 2024 discussion with producer 88-Keys, identified in the complaint as Yeezy's head of music, during which they asserted their ownership of the underlying recording.

Nevertheless, the disputed material allegedly continued appearing in subsequent versions of "Vultures," including releases connected to the duo's chart-topping "Vultures 1" album.

The filing also describes an October 2024 attempt to resolve the dispute.

According to the producers, a Yeezy attorney offered to buy out their rights. Deal rejected the proposal, arguing that it failed to reflect the music's value or address the disputed credits.

The complaint does not reveal the amount offered.

The plaintiffs are pursuing copyright infringement, vicarious infringement and contributory infringement claims. They seek monetary damages, legal costs and an injunction that could restrict further distribution of recordings containing their work.

They also want a share of profits they argue are connected to the allegedly unauthorized use.

In an unusually expansive argument, the complaint attempts to connect the recording to revenues from "Vultures"-branded merchandise and ticketed listening events.

It alleges that merchandise sales exceeded $100 million, although that figure has not been independently substantiated, and the lawsuit has not established how much of any such revenue would be attributable to the disputed recording.

The producers are seeking actual damages and related profits, or alternatively statutory damages under copyright law. No damages have been awarded.

The case adds to the legal disputes surrounding music on Ye and Ty Dolla $ign's "Vultures" projects, which have previously drawn complaints from other artists and rights holders over allegedly unauthorized samples.

The allegations in the new lawsuit have not been proven. No response from the defendants to this specific complaint was established at publication.

Rochelle Fleming, First Choice Singer Whose Voice Helped Shape House Music, Dies at 72

 

Rochelle Fleming, founding member and lead singer of First Choice, helped shape disco and house music with recordings including “Doctor Love,” “Love Thang” and “Let No Man Put Asunder.” Fleming died Nov. 5 in Philadelphia at age 72. (Photo courtesy of BMG)

Rochelle Fleming's voice helped define disco in the 1970s. It was still filling dance floors decades later.

The lead singer and founding member of Philadelphia R&B group First Choice, whose recordings became essential building blocks of house music and influenced generations of artists, died Nov. 5 in Philadelphia. She was 72.

Her longtime manager, George Iz Correia, announced her death on behalf of the Fleming-Finney family. No cause was disclosed, and arrangements for a celebration of her life have not been announced.

Fleming rose to fame with First Choice, the vocal group behind "Armed and Extremely Dangerous," "Smarty Pants," "The Player," "Doctor Love" and "Let No Man Put Asunder."

LISTEN: First Choice's "Let No Man Put Asunder," featuring Rochelle Fleming's lead vocals, became a touchstone of house music. Listen on YouTube. Audio provided through BMG Rights Management.

But the full measure of her influence extends well beyond the group's original run.

"Let No Man Put Asunder," recorded for First Choice's 1977 album "Delusions," became a defining record in house music as DJs and producers introduced it to new audiences through remixes, sampling and reinterpretation.

Mary J. Blige later recorded her own version for her 1999 album "Mary."

And First Choice's influence extended into another generation of hip-hop and electronic music. J. Cole sampled "Wake Up to Me" on his 2019 hit "Middle Child," while Kaytranada drew from "Love Thang" for "10%," his collaboration with Kali Uchis that won a Grammy for best dance recording.

For listeners who knew those later records but not the original group, Fleming's voice had been part of the soundtrack all along.

Born in Philadelphia in 1954, Fleming began singing with schoolmates Annette Guest and Wardell Piper. The group, initially known as the Debonettes, eventually became First Choice.

Their breakthrough came with 1973's "Armed and Extremely Dangerous," which reached No. 11 on Billboard's R&B chart and crossed over to the pop market.

Working with Philadelphia producer Norman Harris, the group helped bridge the soulful harmonies of the early 1970s and the rhythm-driven disco sound that followed.

Fleming's commanding vocals remained central to that identity as First Choice recorded for labels including Philly Groove and Gold Mind, the latter associated with Salsoul Records.

The group disbanded in 1980, but its music continued to circulate through dance clubs, remixes and subsequent recordings.

Fleming pursued a solo career, recording songs including "Love Itch" and "Danger!" She also continued performing, preserving the musical legacy of First Choice while finding audiences who had discovered the group long after its initial success.

BMG, which represents part of the group's catalog through Salsoul, paid tribute Monday, describing Fleming as an artist whose recordings helped shape Philadelphia soul, disco and dance music.

Remembering Rochelle Fleming

BMG, which represents part of First Choice's catalog through Salsoul, has published an official tribute tracing Fleming's influence from Philadelphia soul and disco to house music.

Read BMG's tribute

Dan Baxter, the company's senior vice president of global catalog recordings, said the songs continued reaching new listeners through remixes and samples.

"Her voice and the joy it brought to so many will not be forgotten," Baxter said.

Fellow Philadelphia group Sister Sledge also mourned Fleming, praising her soulful voice and the music she left behind.

Her manager remembered someone who preferred to call her supporters "sweeties" rather than fans.

Some knew Fleming from First Choice's original hits. Others discovered her decades later through house music, remixes and hip-hop samples.

Nearly half a century after "Let No Man Put Asunder" was recorded, her voice was still filling dance floors.

Jordan Fisher To Lead ‘Purple Rain’ Musical Featuring More Than 20 Prince Songs

Jordan Fisher will play The Kid, the role originated by Prince in the 1984 film "Purple Rain," when the stage adaptation opens on Broadway in 2027. Previews begin March 12 at New York's Majestic Theatre. (Mark Seliger/Courtesy of "Purple Rain")

Jordan Fisher is about to step into Prince's purple spotlight.

The singer and Broadway star will play The Kid in the stage adaptation of "Purple Rain," taking on the role Prince made famous in his 1984 film and the music that helped turn him into a superstar.

Producer Orin Wolf announced the casting Tuesday, confirming that the musical will begin previews March 12, 2027, at Broadway's Majestic Theatre. Opening night is scheduled for April 12.

PRINCE'S "PURPLE RAIN" ON BROADWAY

Starring Jordan Fisher as The Kid

Previews: March 12, 2027
Opening: April 12, 2027
Majestic Theatre, New York

Official casting announcement and production details

The show features more than 20 Prince songs, including "When Doves Cry," "I Would Die 4 U," "Take Me With U" and "The Beautiful Ones."

For Fisher, whose stage credits include "Hamilton," "Dear Evan Hansen," "Sweeney Todd" and "Moulin Rouge!," the production represents his first opportunity to originate a role in a new Broadway musical.

It also puts him in the difficult position of following one of popular music's most recognizable performers in a role closely associated with his life and career.

Director Saheem Ali said Fisher brings both the musical ability and emotional range needed to portray The Kid, praising what he called "the swagger, vulnerability and restless creative spirit we recognize in Prince."

The story follows a young Minneapolis musician struggling with family turmoil, professional rivalries and a complicated romance while trying to establish himself as a performer.

Prince played The Kid opposite Apollonia Kotero in the original film, which also featured Morris Day and The Time.

Released in July 1984, "Purple Rain" became a cultural phenomenon. The film won an Academy Award for its music, while the soundtrack spent 24 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and produced some of Prince's defining hits.

The stage adaptation had its world premiere in Minneapolis in 2025, but the Broadway version arrives with significant changes behind the scenes.

Ali will direct from a book by Peter Duchan, with music supervision, arrangements and orchestrations by Jason Michael Webb and choreography by Ebony Williams, whose credits include work with Beyoncé.

Two musicians who knew Prince's music firsthand are also involved.

Bobby Z, drummer for The Revolution, and Morris Hayes, a longtime member of Prince's New Power Generation, are serving as music advisers.

Their involvement gives the production direct connections to both the "Purple Rain" era and Prince's later touring and recording career.

Fisher won't perform every show. Producers said an alternate will play The Kid on Tuesday evenings and Wednesday matinees. Additional casting has not been announced.

Prince died April 21, 2016, at age 57.

Four decades after "Purple Rain" helped establish him as a global superstar, Broadway is preparing to introduce The Kid to another generation — this time with Fisher at the microphone.

Eminem Publisher Accuses AI Music Company of Copying 269 Songs in Multimillion-Dollar Lawsuit

Eminem performs at the Concert for Valor in Washington on Nov. 11, 2014. Music publishers controlling rights to 269 of his compositions have sued AI company Suno, alleging copyright infringement. (EJ Hersom/DoD News via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0; cropped)

An artificial intelligence company accused of using Eminem's music without permission is facing a federal lawsuit that alleges its technology can reproduce the rapper's lyrics almost word for word — even as the company maintains that its safeguards prevent unauthorized copying.

Eight Mile Style LLC and Martin Affiliated LLC filed the lawsuit Friday in San Francisco against Suno Inc., the company behind an AI music generator that creates songs from text prompts.

The publishers accuse Suno of copying 269 Eminem compositions, including "Lose Yourself," "Stan," "Without Me," "Till I Collapse" and "The Real Slim Shady," to train its technology without obtaining a license.

But the 36-page complaint goes further than allegations about what Suno used to train its software. It identifies specific songs allegedly generated by the platform that reproduce existing Eminem lyrics.

One example, a Suno track titled "Lose Yourself By Eminem," is compared line by line with the original in the court filing. The publishers allege that the generated version reproduces the song's introduction, first verse and chorus with only minor differences in wording and punctuation.

Other examples cited in the lawsuit involve "Till I Collapse," "The Real Slim Shady" and "Houdini."

The publishers are seeking up to $40.35 million in statutory copyright damages, calculated at $150,000 for each of the 269 compositions. They also seek separate damages for alleged violations involving access controls and the removal of copyright ownership information.

Eminem, whose legal name is Marshall Mathers, is not personally a plaintiff in the lawsuit.

What Suno says

The company says its platform is designed to generate original music, prohibits unauthorized use of artists' work, blocks prompts naming specific artists or songs, and screens uploaded audio and lyrics. It says it is continuing to strengthen those safeguards.

Read Suno's statement to CBS Detroit

Suno disputes unauthorized use of artists' work.

In a statement provided to news outlets, company spokesperson Cat McCormack said Suno is designed to help people create original music and prohibits unauthorized use of copyrighted material.

The company says it blocks prompts naming specific artists or songs, uses third-party services to screen uploaded audio and lyrics, and continues to strengthen its safeguards.

The publishers challenge the effectiveness of those restrictions.

Their complaint describes online tools and tutorials that allegedly help users work around artist-name restrictions by substituting detailed descriptions of a performer's sound. It also cites examples of users requesting songs associated with Eminem through altered spellings and other prompts.

The lawsuit accuses Suno of using automated scraping tools to obtain copyrighted material from streaming and other online services, including methods the publishers say circumvented technological protections.

It further alleges that the company's data-processing methods stripped identifying information from copyrighted works, including songwriter names and publisher details.

Those allegations form three separate claims: direct copyright infringement, circumvention of technological protection measures and removal or alteration of copyright management information.

Inside the Eminem copyright lawsuit

Eight Mile Style and Martin Affiliated filed three claims against AI music company Suno:

1. Direct copyright infringement involving 269 compositions
2. Alleged circumvention of technological access restrictions
3. Alleged removal or alteration of copyright management information

The publishers seek damages, an injunction and an order requiring the surrender or destruction of unauthorized copies. Suno disputes unauthorized use. No court has determined liability.

Read the original 36-page federal complaint

U.S. District Court, Northern District of California · Filed Nov. 6, 2026

The publishers want a court to prohibit further infringement, order the surrender or destruction of unauthorized copies and require an accounting of the material Suno used to train its systems. The requested destruction would extend to copies allegedly retained in training datasets and other technical infrastructure.

The case raises two related questions: whether an AI company can legally use copyrighted music to train a commercial system without permission, and whether the songs it generates infringe the originals.

It arrives amid a broader legal fight between music rights holders and AI developers. Suno is already facing copyright challenges from other recording and publishing companies.

Eight Mile Style has also pursued copyright litigation involving Eminem's music against other technology companies, including Meta.

After Nipsey Hussle’s Death, Jay-Z Helped His Family Overcome a Business Crisis

During an appearance on the "One54 Africa" podcast, Nipsey Hussle's brother, Samiel "Blacc Sam" Asghedom (right), discusses how Jay-Z and Roc Nation helped The Marathon Clothing secure a partnership with Live Nation after the rapper's death in 2019. (Screenshot/One54 Africa)

Jay-Z's support for Nipsey Hussle didn't end when the rapper was killed in 2019. According to Hussle's older brother, it helped keep the clothing business they built together from being overwhelmed by orders in the aftermath of his death.

Samiel "Blacc Sam" Asghedom revealed how Jay-Z and Roc Nation helped connect The Marathon Clothing with concert giant Live Nation during a recent appearance on the "One54 Africa" podcast.

The family was facing a flood of orders it lacked the resources to produce or ship, Sam said.

"We had so many orders that we didn't even have a way to ship out or produce," he recalled.

Live Nation initially offered to help clear the backlog and keep the website operating, even if the companies never reached a formal business agreement.

That offer, Sam said, came through the involvement of Jay-Z and Roc Nation.

WATCH: Blacc Sam explains how Jay-Z, Roc Nation and Live Nation helped The Marathon Clothing respond to overwhelming orders after Nipsey Hussle's death. Watch on YouTube. Video: One54 Africa.

A partnership followed, with Live Nation providing a substantial advance and taking over merchandise operations. The arrangement gave the family access to the company's production and fulfillment network at a time when demand for Nipsey-related products had surged.

It also provided something Sam hadn't fully anticipated: legal muscle.

Live Nation's attorneys pursued counterfeit merchandise, unauthorized websites and other potential infringements involving Nipsey's intellectual property and the Marathon brand, he said.

Those weren't the only threats the family faced.

Sam described a separate effort by people attempting to claim rights associated with the Marathon name. He said attorneys who had previously assisted his brother helped challenge the claim, which was eventually abandoned.

He did not identify those involved.

With Live Nation's resources, Sam said, the clothing business was able to expand, recoup the advance and eventually move back toward operating on its own. He did not disclose the financial terms of the partnership.

Jay-Z's involvement continued a relationship that had drawn attention years before Nipsey's death.

In 2013, when Nipsey challenged conventional music sales by offering his "Crenshaw" mixtape for $100, Jay-Z bought 100 copies — a $10,000 show of support for the independent rapper's business strategy.

A relationship built over years

In 2013, Jay-Z bought 100 copies of Nipsey Hussle's $100 "Crenshaw" mixtape. More than a decade later, The Marathon Clothing and Jay-Z collaborated on merchandise for his 30th-anniversary concerts.

Forbes: Nipsey Hussle and the $100 mixtape (2013)

The Marathon Clothing: Official Jay-Z30 collaboration (2026)

That connection has remained visible.

The Marathon Clothing collaborated with Jay-Z on merchandise celebrating his 30-year recording career, including items tied to his October performances at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Sam said Jay-Z also surprised the family by appearing onstage wearing an official All Money In chain, paying tribute to Nipsey and the independent label he founded.

The gesture meant something to Sam, who said Jay-Z's longtime associate Emory Jones helped maintain the relationship between the artists and their businesses.

Nipsey was fatally shot March 31, 2019, outside his Marathon Clothing store in South Los Angeles. He was 33.

His brother has since overseen the expansion of the family's ventures, including Marathon Burger, which recently opened a location at Los Angeles International Airport.

But Sam's account also reveals how vulnerable the business was in the early days after Nipsey's death, when the family was simultaneously protecting his legacy and managing demand on a scale it hadn't been prepared to handle.

The assistance, he said, reflected the relationships Nipsey had built while he was alive.

"We had a lot of help," Sam said, crediting those relationships and the support his brother continued to inspire.

Rude Boys Founder Melvin Sephus, Who Helped Shape '90s R&B, Dies at 61

The Rude Boys appear on the cover of their 1990 debut album, "Rude Awakening." The group scored two No. 1 R&B hits with "Written All Over Your Face" and "Are You Lonely for Me." Founding member Melvin Sephus died Oct. 28, 2026, at age 61. (Atlantic Records/Rhino)

Melvin Sephus, a founding member of the Cleveland R&B group the Rude Boys, whose hits "Written All Over Your Face" and "Are You Lonely for Me" topped Billboard's R&B chart in the early 1990s, has died. He was 61.

Sephus died Oct. 28, according to Gaines Funeral Home in Ohio, which has announced funeral arrangements. No cause of death has been publicly disclosed.
The singer, songwriter and musician was part of a quartet whose success grew out of Cleveland's thriving R&B scene and a chance encounter with Gerald Levert, the singer and producer who helped launch their career.

The Rude Boys — Sephus, Larry "Bingo" Marcus, Edward "Buddy" Banks and Joe Little III — came together in the late 1980s. Levert discovered the group performing locally and helped secure a recording deal with Atlantic Records.

Their 1990 debut album, "Rude Awakening," initially struggled to produce a major hit. That changed with "Written All Over Your Face."

The Rude Boys featuring Gerald Levert, "Written All Over Your Face," from the 1990 Atlantic Records album "Rude Awakening." (Audio: Rhino Atlantic)

The song, written by Marcus and featuring guest vocals from Levert, reached No. 1 on Billboard's R&B chart in 1991 and crossed over to No. 16 on the Hot 100. It spent 31 weeks on the R&B chart and finished the year as Billboard's top R&B single.

The recording prominently featured the voices of Little and Banks, supported by the quartet's harmonies and Levert's unmistakable presence.

The follow-up, "Are You Lonely for Me," also topped the R&B chart, giving the group two No. 1 hits from its debut album. Another single, "Heaven," reached the R&B top 20.

"Are You Lonely for Me," the Rude Boys' second No. 1 R&B single from their debut album. (Audio: Rhino Atlantic)

The Rude Boys arrived during the rise of new jack swing, but their music retained much of the traditional vocal-group sound associated with the O'Jays, LeVert and other soul acts from their hometown.

Sephus' contributions extended beyond singing.

On the group's second album, "Rude House," released in 1992, he received credits for vocals, keyboards, production and vocal arrangements.

That album produced "My Kinda Girl," another R&B hit with an unexpected place in hip-hop history. A remix by DJ Clark Kent featured a young Jay-Z, years before the Brooklyn rapper released his debut album, "Reasonable Doubt."

Sephus also maintained his musical relationship with the Levert family.

He contributed production and background vocals to "I Got Your Back," a song from Gerald Levert's 1995 collaboration with his father, Eddie Levert of the O'Jays, on the album "Father & Son.

The Rude Boys returned with a third album, "Rude as Ever," in 1997. Their commercial success never again matched the early Atlantic recordings, but the group's ties to Cleveland's soul music community endured.

Following Gerald Levert's death in 2006, members reunited to sing at his funeral, honoring the man who helped bring their music to national audiences.

The Rude Boys were inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2019.

Sephus was the third member of the group's best-known original lineup to die. Marcus died in 2016 and Banks in 2020, leaving Little as the last surviving member of that quartet.

His family has established an online fundraiser to help pay for funeral services, burial expenses, a headstone and a gathering in his memory.

"He gave the world his voice, his music, his talent, and his heart," relatives wrote in the appeal, organized by Maleya Johnson on behalf of the Sephus and Johnson family.

A public viewing is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 13, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Gaines Funeral Home, 5386 Lee Road in Maple Heights, Ohio.

A wake will follow at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, with a celebration of life at noon at Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church, 11115 Kinsman Road in Cleveland. Burial is scheduled at Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery.

Remembering Melvin Sephus

The family of Rude Boys founding member Melvin Sephus has established a memorial fundraiser to help cover funeral and burial expenses, a headstone and a gathering in his honor.

View the family's memorial fundraiser

Organized by Maleya Johnson on behalf of the Sephus and Johnson family.

Timbaland Accuses Former Managers of Taking Millions in Unauthorized Payments

Music producer Timbaland appears at the Collision technology conference in Toronto on May 21, 2019. The Grammy winner has filed a lawsuit seeking more than $15 million from two former managers, alleging financial misconduct and mismanagement. (Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Collision via Sportsfile, CC BY 2.0)

Grammy-winning producer Timbaland has filed a lawsuit seeking more than $15 million from his former manager and business manager, accusing them of taking unauthorized commissions, concealing financial transactions and mishandling his fortune.

One of the defendants says the producer has nobody to blame but himself.

The lawsuit, filed Oct. 30 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, names former manager Gary Marella and business manager Bruce Seckendorf, along with associated businesses.

Timbaland, whose legal name is Timothy Mosley, alleges that the executives exploited their control over his financial affairs, taking millions in payments and commissions while failing to protect the wealth he accumulated during his decades-long career.

The complaint accuses Marella of collecting at least $2.5 million in excessive or unauthorized commissions and using Timbaland's money for personal expenses.

It also alleges irregularities involving payments from Verzuz, the music-battle platform Timbaland created with Swizz Beatz, and the sale of his music catalog.

According to the filing, Timbaland received two $5 million payments from Verzuz in 2021. He contends Marella was entitled to $1 million in commissions but instead collected $1.5 million.

The lawsuit further alleges that Marella and his company collected $775,000 more than their authorized 10% commission from Timbaland's 2019 catalog deal with Hipgnosis.

Timbaland also accuses Seckendorf and his firm of failing to make mortgage and federal tax payments while continuing to distribute substantial sums to managers and other professionals.

The producer says he discovered serious financial problems in March 2025, when a foreclosure notice arrived at his home.

An independent review subsequently uncovered questionable payments, undisclosed credit-card arrangements and transactions he says he never approved, according to the complaint.

Marella disputes the accusations.

In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, he said Timbaland was already experiencing financial difficulties when they began working together in 2017.

Marella maintained that his management team generated approximately $75 million in business over nine years but that the producer continued spending beyond his means.

He also rejected the suggestion that he secretly paid himself, arguing that Seckendorf, rather than Marella, handled the producer's finances and management commissions.

Timbaland's attorney, Tynia Coats, challenged that explanation in statements provided Monday to Rolling Stone.

Coats disputed Marella's characterization of the producer's spending and alleged that financial records had been altered to conceal discrepancies.

She cited a consultant payment allegedly recorded as $16,000 despite an actual payment of $165,000. Timbaland and his attorney also alleged that an email was altered to make it appear he had authorized a $250,000 payment to an attorney rather than $100,000.

Those allegations have not been established in court.

The lawsuit also accuses Marella of mismanaging Beatclub, a music marketplace the two developed together. Marella has disputed those allegations, attributing the venture's financial difficulties to problems developing its technology.

The dispute involves business arrangements behind one of hip-hop and R&B's most influential production careers. Timbaland's work with Aaliyah, Missy Elliott, Justin Timberlake and other artists helped shape the sound of popular music in the late 1990s and 2000s.

The lawsuit seeks damages, an accounting of disputed transactions and a jury trial. It includes claims of fraudulent concealment, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract and civil theft.