TheNewsGuru

Tag: runtown

  • Runtown wins legal battle against former record label

    Nigerian hip act Douglas Jack Agu popularly called Runtown who has been in a legal struggle for seven months with his former record Label Eric Many has won the court case.

    In a judgment delivered by a Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday 23rd January, Runtown’s former record label, Eric Many has been restrained from interfering in the singer’s affairs.

    Justice O.A Musa, passed the judgment, giving an order that the restraining order placed on Runtown from performing be immediately suspended while Eric Many was also restrained from enforcing the suspended orders of the court.

  • BREAKING: Ericmany wins N14m case for Runtown

    Popular entertainment company and record label, Ericmany Entertainment has won a N14,000,000 suit filed against it and its act Douglas Jack Agu (aka Runtown) by the Dynamic Minds League. The suit was for claim of damages against Ericmany for a ‘no-show’ by Runtown at a carnival in Anambra State organized by the group in January 2015.

    The case, Suit No LD/ADR/251/2015, was filed on 19th August, 2015 by the Anambra group through its leader, Mr. Chizuo Anetoh. They dragged Runtown, Ericmany Entertainment and Prince Okwudili Umenyiora, the billionaire Chairman of Dilly Motors Limited and Ericmany Entertainment before the Lagos High Court, claiming the sum of N14 Million as damages for failure of Runtown to perform at their Harmattan Carnival held at Adazi-Nnukwu, Anaocha in Anambra State.

    Ericmany lawyers, Chijioke Emeka & Colleagues [Auxano Law] argued that the group first breached the contract having failed to provide all that was required and in good time for the artiste to make the appearance. Ericmany’s case was that the group made inadequate and shoddy arrangements. Being the Christmas period, Ericmany’s crew had to sort out late hour flight tickets to Port Harcourt instead of Asaba or Owerri nearer to the Anaocha venue. Upon landing in Port Harcourt it was late to proceed on a dangerous night road journey without adequate security, Ericmany’s lawyer claimed.

    During the trial on 10th May, 2018, Mr. Aneto testified for his group. He narrated how Runtown flew from Lagos to Port Harcourt but refused to further proceed on the road journey to Adazi, even after they engaged a police escort for him at the airport. Ericmany’s witness, Amani Henshaw gave an account of the breaches of the contract by the group, especially its failure to provide flight tickets for the crew and failure to provide sufficient security for the night road journey to Anambra State. He told the Court how his team waited for many hours at the airport until it became very late and they had to cancel the trip.

    In his judgment, Hon. Justice K. O. Alogba gave victory to Ericmany. The Judge found that the failure of Runtown to get to Adazi in Anambra State and perform at the carnival was justified as the group’s arrangement was very shoddy. The Court agreed with Ericmany that the Dynamic Minds League was reckless about the contract when it failed to book flight tickets ahead. The Court also held that the group did not prove how they are entitled to their N14 Million claim as it did not adduce cogent evidence. Each of the claims was therefore dismissed.

    Justice came the way of Ericmany Entertainment barely three years after the Dynamic Minds League flooded the print media, social media and several blogs with news of the alleged breach of contract and its N14 Million suit against Ericmany and Runtown.

  • Nigerians slam Runtown over buying lion

    Nigerians have slammed Afro-pop star, Runtown over buying a ‘pet lion’. The excited singer shared the picture of himself and the cub on Instagram and it has since sparked various sarcastic comments from both his fans and celebrities .

     

     

     

    Runtown captioned the picture: ”Say hi to my pet lion. What should we call him?”

     

    His question elicited a lot of answers from his followers.

     

    Godwin crooner, Korede Bello wrote:” You can call the cub, Runlion”.

    Phyno wrote:”Na you they look for trouble o”

    “God forbid”, Davido wrote in the comment section of Runtown’s post.

    A certain Purity noted that the lion will kill Runtown:” Call him ur body na killer ooo bcos i kw d lion will attempt to kill u someday”.

    @Jummypeperempe wrote:”You go buy wetin go chop you”.

     

     

    Svelte singer, Seyi Shay recently collaborated with Runtown on a song titled ‘Gimme Love’

     

     

     

     

     

    buys pet Lion, which he showed off on his Instagram page earlier today and his celebrity colleagues have swarmed to his page to react to the strange acquisition.

    Celebrities react as Runtown buys pet Lion

     

    The singer posted a video of himself feeding the pet Lion and sought for opinion on the name to give to the cub.

     

  • Troubled Runtown denies fraud allegations

    In recent times Nigerian singer, Douglas Jack Agu aka Runtown has been embroiled in countless controversies.

    His on-going legal battle over incessant breach of contract with his erstwhile record label, Ericmany Entertainment, is still far from being settled.

    The pop star who was recently accused of defrauding an American woman, Sawhn Rene has debunked the allegations made by her.

    Speaking via his management team, they stated that the claims leveled against him are false.

    They made this known via a statement.

     

    “Our attention has been drawn to reports circulating on social media by a US-based woman named, Shawn Rene accusing our artist, Runtown of fraud. It’s all lies and an attempt to blackmail and tarnish our image. We have contacted the Nigerian security agencies including the DSS and EFCC who are all on the matter at the moment and preliminary investigations already reveals that its a group of impostors who may have duped ‘Sawhn Rene’ using Runtown’s name. Runtown has never and will never defraud anyone, “ the statement read.

     

    Rene claimed that she was defrauded by Runtown of $124,000

  • Runtown finally exits Eric Many Records

    The on-going legal battle between popular Nigerian singer, Douglas Jack Agu, aka Runtown and his record label, Eric Many, may have come to an abrupt end

     

    The business relationship between the two parties which started in 2014 has officially been severed according to a press release made available by his management.

    The statement which is dated, July 4 2018, reads:

     

    ”Effective June 22, 2018, the music artist Runtown, also known as Soundgod, shall and is no longer affiliated with Eric Many, Ltd., Eric Many Entertainment, Incorporated, or any of it’s affiliates, associates, agents, assigns or subsidiaries. Runtown is now exclusively managed and represented by Soundgod Music Group.

    Despite numerous breaches of the Recording Agreement by Eric Many, which would make it invalid and unenforceable, the Agreement entered into on June 21, 2016 officially came to an end on June 22, 2018.

     

    Pursuant to Section 6.5 of the Agreement, “The Parties agree[d] that the Artist is and remains the owner and lawful proprietor of the Professional Name and the Artist’s likeness.”

    Eric Many was only entitled to use the name Runtown throughout the duration of the contract, and for a period after termination of the contract for the promotion and sale of music. Eric Many does NOT own the name “Runtown” or
    “Soundgod,” and is NOT entitled to trademark, copyright or use the name without the explicit consent and approval of the artist.

    Public use of the name Runtown began in 2008, before the signing of any contract with Eric Many.

    Further, there is NO court order currently enjoining or preventing Runtown from singing, performing or recording music. Please be advised that the interim injunction granted by the High Court of FCT against Runtown on 10 May 2018, has now expired by effluxion of time pursuant to Order 43 Rule 3(2) of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja (Civil Procedure) Rules 2018.

     

    The said injunction became ineffective on the 17th of May, 2018.

    To date, Eric Many has filed two frivolous law suits against Runtown.

    On May 24, 2018, Eric Many withdrew the initial frivolous lawsuit it filed in Lagos, Nigeria after realizing its claims could never be proven. The Lagos court ordered Eric Many to pay Runtown’s costs associated with that suit.

    Interestingly, instead of adding any new claims to the Lagos suit, Eric Many filed a new law suit in Abuja, Nigeria, while the first law suit in Lagos was still pending. The second lawsuit abandoned all of the claims made in the first law suit, and claimed that Runtown owed an unconscionable amount of money to the record label. Eric Many has yet to show any reliable proof or records of its claims.

     

    Instead it has only provided Runtown with a loosely composed accounting that shows fraudulent figures, unsubstantiated expenses and zero financial responsibility on the part of the record label. In short, the record label placed all financial responsibilities, including the costs of all travel, regular business expenses and even legal
    fees of the label on Runtown.

     

    All expenses of running the record label were charged to the artist, which is a clear breach of the recording agreement that requires the label to shoulder such costs.

    Runtown filed suit against Eric Many in New York for breach of contract, unpaid royalties and defamation. On May 25, 2018, the New York State Supreme Court Judge ordered Eric Many to continue to pay royalties to Runtown for the distribution of his music in the United States.

    Eric Many is in violation of that order, having paid Runtown nothing since February 1, 2018.

    We are confident that after this matter is properly litigated in Nigeria and the United States, it will become evident that Eric Many did not only breach the recording agreement severally and abuse its power, but that it has been fully reimbursed for its initial investment and is currently indebted to Runtown for unpaid royalties and revenue. One cannot seek relief from the same contract which it has repeatedly breached.

    Runtown is not in the business of breaking contracts. We want to assure all fans and supporters that for as long as God shall allow, Runtown is and will continue to be focused on making, sharing and performing good music worldwide.”

     

     

    Runtown got signed to Eric Many in 2014 after the release of his single, ‘Gallardo’

    However, in 2016, drama began as there were accusations and counteraccusations by both parties. Runtown eventually declared his intention to terminate his contract . This led to a lawsuit filed by Eric Many

     

     

     

  • Runtown in fresh troubles, risks losing stage name

    There seem to be no end to the lingering legal battle between Runtown and his erstwhile record label, Eric Many.

    Fresh reports coming from the Eric Many camp indicate that the record label has slammed the crooner with a lawsuit of N267Million.

     

    The label’s General Manager, Johnson Adumike clarified that the name ‘Runtown’ and all associated with it are licensed to Eric Many and the singer has gone ahead to do collaboration videos and book shows without express permission from the label.

     

    Read their official statement below

    As you are aware, lately we have been in Court with Runtown over copyrights issues with regards to two collabo videos he made without our prior approval. Truly, the much-publicized legal action at the Federal High Court in Lagos was, contrary to what many believe, not on the entire contract we signed with Runtown. It was only on the unapproved collabo videos and we claimed general damages of about N65 Million for the copyright infringement.

    We had thought that Runtown would see reason to retrace his steps on our Contract following the ‘warning case’ on copyright infringement. This was not to be as he took to the social media, especially Twitter, dishing out insults on our Chairman, Prince Okwudili Umenyiora, boasting that he was no longer with Eric Many. His elder brother joined on Instagram boasting that his company ‘JSparrowMedia’ is now the person booking Runtown’s shows and no longer Eric Many. Under our Contract, the professional name ‘Runtown’ and other names are licensed to Eric Many. Yet Runtown went to Trademarks Registry in Abuja and has been working to take the names from us.

    These and many other issues thrown up by the copyrights suit confirmed to us that indeed Runtown had walked out on us. We therefore decided to sue him for comprehensive breach of contract, to the sum of N266,694,755.

    While our Contract is supposed to fall due for expiration on 22nd June 2018, Eric Many now has an outstanding balance of about N266,694,755.08 to recoup on our investment and expenses on Runtown’s career. He is also yet to deliver an Album which the Contract requires him to deliver to us during the Contract period. The Contract spells out the procedure for the production of the Album. Runtown is yet to initiate the procedure, whilst he focuses on Abuja Trademarks Registry scheming on how to make us lose grip of his professional name.

    Last Wednesday, 23rd May 2018, following the advice of our lawyers, we withdrew our case at the Federal High Court on the collabos to have more time and focus to pursue the case of breach of contract. Our lawyers had advised that since the breach of contract and recovery of our outstanding sum of N266,694,755.08 is a bigger picture, it would be more reasonable to drop the copyright case and focus our energy on the contract case. We accepted this advice and gave a go-ahead for the Lagos Case to be withdrawn”.

  • Runtown runs into more trouble over fake sex tape leak

    Nigerian Afro-pop star, Runtown has been enmeshed in a series of controversies in recent times.

    The ‘Gallardo’ singer was initially slammed by a Federal High Court injunction stopping him from performing and recording till he settles his debt with his erstwhile label, Eric Many.

    Now Runtown seem to be running into more trouble as TheNewsGuru gathered that the release of his supposed ‘sex tape’ meant to be used to blackmail him by his erstwhile record label, has been discovered to be a ploy orchestrated by Runtown himself.

    However, the label has issued an official statement debunking claims that it is behind the story and went ahead to launch an investigation alongside investigative agencies.

    Eric Many has revealed that the released sex tape and Whatsapp chat supposedly leaked by them is completely false and a badly implemented stunt by the artiste himself.

    According to investigations carried out by the label, a certain suspect (name withheld) declared that he used a fake Instagram account to spread the false sex tape leak on Runtown’s bidding.

     

    “We have maintained from the beginning of this saga that Eric Many has a verifiable court injunction against Runtown and we’ll not resort to blackmail or cheap social media stunts as we believe in the rule of law. Investigations are on-going as regards the leaked sex tape story and we’ll let the law take its full course” a statement by the label reiterates.

    Eric Many Chairman, Prince Okwudili Umenyiora, has stated that he would never comment on the controversial issue publicly, adding that Runtown remains the baby of the label

    In the same vein, the General Manager of Eric Many, Johnson Adumike also reacted to the issue.

    In his words: “Eric Many has been vindicated but we refuse to be drawn into media war with Runtown who the label made and will therefore not destroy.”

     

  • Get lawyers to clear your name- Eric Many tells Runtown

    Eric Many, the record label Runtown belongs to has urged the ‘Mad Over You’ singer to take “a matured approach” in handling their legal dispute.

    The label noted that the singer should imitate Kiss Daniel who was recently entangled in a similar situation.

     

    The Afropop singer has been sued by Eric Many for a supposed breach of contract.

    In an injunction filed at a federal high court, Lagos, the label said the singer has been “deliberately breaching his contract”.

     

    In his reaction, Eric Many’s general manager in a chat with Vanguard, said the label is waiting for Runtown to do the right thing.

    “Rather than deceiving your fans by teasing them with a collaboration which you do not have the legal right to release, what you should do is to get your lawyers to come up with legal documents to clear your name just like Kiss Daniel when he had a similar issue

    “This is a way more matured approach than just throwing subliminals on social media.

    “It’s baseless pretending to the public when you clearly signed the dotted lines and its only right to be reasonable and keep your end of the deal” he said.

     

    I can approach a guy who is shy to ask me out- Maryjane Benson

  • Runtown in trouble as Eric Many slams him with law suit

    A new page in the Runtown vs Eric Many legal battle has been opened.

    For the second time in close to two years, Mad Over You crooner, Douglas Jack-Agu popularly known as Runtown has been slammed with a court injunction by his record label (Eric Many owned by billionaire businessman Okwudili Umenyiora) over breach of contract.

    According to reports, the entertainment company served Runtown the court papers with Suit No: FHC/L/CS/267/2018 a few days back with a statement that partly reads:” Runtown has been deliberately breaching his contract with us (Eric Many) for a while and despite our many appeals to him he has refused to bulge. He went for a show in Las Vegas since January 13th, 2018 and has since decided to withdraw all obligations of his contract. He has steadily been recording an album without the consent and approval of his record label”.

     

     

     

    In the press statement issued by the record label on Monday, it stated that:” He’s recording with artistes like Del B without the written approval of the label and without an Eric Many appointee at the point of recording as agreed in our contract. Runtown has also been appearing in venues and collecting appearance fees without the approval of the label and also performing in private shows without the label’s consent which contravenes clause 4.4.1 of his record deal which states that ‘the Defendant(Runtown) can only engage in recording, collaborating or performing with other artistes for third parties or other record companies upon proper notification in advance to the Plaintiff. Upon this notification, the Plaintiff would then enter into an agreement with the collaborating artiste or his record company to ensure that the Plaintiff and the Defendant receive proper credit, legal/copyright protection and compensation for the collaborative work”.

     

    The label also noted that though his contract with them is due to expire at some point this year, the label disclosed that he still owes the company a lot of money including:”Hundreds of millions in Naira from the Lamborghini Gallardo super-fast car which he still has to pay back to the label and also an album that must be released through the right channels. He has been doing numerous collaborations with several artists without getting the written approval of the label and as a result, no royalties have come back to the label from any of these collaborations. He has been warned severally about this on numerous occasions but he refused to listen, so we as the label had to go to court to stop him from these dubious actions”.

     

    Recall that In May 2016, he was sued by Eric Many based on accusations that he signs up, concludes and attends musical shows without the consent of the label. Back then, Eric Many also secured a court injunction stopping Runtown from performing as an artiste anywhere in the world.

    Amazingly,Runtown went back to the label to plead and the case was settled out of court.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • I knew ‘Mad over you’ would be a big song- Runtown

    Unlike other artistes who feign not knowing a song would be big, ‘Mad over you’ crooner, Runtown revealed that he knew ‘Mad over you’ would be a hit. The Enugu State born singer noted that the song launched him into the world.

     

    Speaking in a chat with Punch, he said: “Even while recording the song, I knew it would be a very big song. But to be honest, I never thought that it would be as big as it eventually became.”

    “Immediately after the song dropped, everything changed. Everybody seemed to like the song, and it was played everywhere.

    ”I started getting calls from all around the world to perform the song and people were very emotional about it. All the songs I released after Mad Over You have also done very well, and the future looks even brighter” he said.