Prince sued over free album giveaway

Singer and producer Prince faces a law suit after gifting a free download link to singer Judith Hill's album. Judith Hill made her name as backing singer for Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder and rose to prominence as a contestant on the U.S version of the TV show ‘The Voice’.

Jolene Cherry, a producer who worked with Hill, claims Hill had long term contractual obligations when she took music they'd been developing to collaborate instead with Prince, who then gave it away for free.

On March 23rd subscribers to a Live Nation mailing list received a message claiming to be from Prince which read, “Please spend some time with this music and then share it with someone U love." It also contained a link to a free download of the Judith Hill album ‘Back in Time’ that was valid until March 25th.

Commenting in the law suit Cherry says, ”Judith Hill's first album – Back in Time — is now out, but rather than cheering along with her, the people who paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to develop her career and album and worked to position Hill for her first release (as well as those who co-wrote many of the songs) are sitting dumbfounded on the sidelines while Prince gives away their investment for free.”

Cherry says that she rejected Hill's request to record and release an album with Prince, warning that working with him would violate a recording agreement that required her to record four albums. The lawsuit seeks compensation and damages from Prince and cites interference.

Judith Hill is not named as a defendant but her lawyer had previously filed a suit against Cherry and her company triggering the countersuit. "Judith Hill was and is absolutely free to perform her music as she has done," said Hill’s lawyer Peter Haviland who claims the countersuit against Prince is, "nothing but a publicity stunt.”

“It is a shame that Prince has been dragged into this insanity," Haviland said.