T-Pain filed a new lawsuit against Konvict Entertainment, the label Akon co-founded, but Akon himself is not named as a defendant in the complaint. The singer, whose legal name is Faheem Rashad Najm, filed the case on September 4 in Fulton County Superior Court in Georgia, alleging the label still owes him $489,047 in royalties.
What is the money actually tied to?
A distributor payment the label received earlier this year. According to the filing, Konvict Entertainment collected $1,304,127 from a distributor in March 2026 for T-Pain’s music sales generated during the second half of 2025. Under his 2005 recording agreement, T-Pain is entitled to 75% of the net royalties Konvict receives from distributors. He says the label paid him $489,047 in June, an amount he maintains covers only half of what his contract actually entitles him to.
Where does T-Pain allege the rest of the money went?
He claims part of the earnings were routed to BuVision, an affiliate label run by Akon’s younger brother, Abou Thiam. T-Pain says his representatives tried to recover the remaining balance directly from BuVision, but those attempts went nowhere before he chose to file suit. He is now seeking the outstanding $489,047.76, along with prejudgment interest and legal fees.
Hasn’t T-Pain already settled a dispute with this label before?
Yes, which is what makes this filing land as something of a sequel. T-Pain first sued Konvict Entertainment in 2018 over unpaid money tied to his fifth studio album, Oblivion, seeking at least $400,000 along with an accounting of royalties he believed were owed. That case dragged through years of mediation before the two sides settled in 2025, with Konvict agreeing to pay $114,000 covering royalties through the end of 2024 while denying any liability. T-Pain argues the royalties at issue now stem from sales in the latter half of 2025, meaning they fall outside that earlier settlement rather than reopening it.
What makes this dispute sting more than a typical contract fight?
The history between the two artists. When T-Pain was breaking out in the mid-2000s, he reportedly turned down a richer offer that included a $900,000 signing bonus in favor of a smaller advance from Akon, who pitched him on building a long career rather than chasing a quick payout.
That bet paid off, producing a catalog of hits together, including Bartender, which is set to mark its 20th anniversary next year. Neither artist appears to need the money at stake here. T-Pain recently sold his music catalog for a reported nine figure sum, and Akon has spoken openly about the money he brings in from private performances. That both men still ended up back in court over a contract dispute is part of what has made the filing notable beyond the dollar figure involved.
How did T-Pain and Akon’s partnership start?
T-Pain first caught Akon’s attention with a personalized cover of Akon’s song “Locked Up.” Akon signed him to Konvict Muzik, and T-Pain released his debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, in 2005, featuring hits like “I’m Sprung” and “I’m N Luv (Wit a Stripper).” He went on to release Epiphany in 2007 and Thr33 Ringz in 2008, the latter producing “Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’)” and “Bartender,” while also picking up Grammy wins for his contributions to tracks like Kanye West’s “Good Life” and Jamie Foxx’s “Blame It.” T-Pain also noted in the filing that he separately received royalty payments tied to Freaknik: The Musical.
Has either side responded to the new lawsuit?
Not publicly. Neither T-Pain nor Akon has commented, and Konvict Entertainment has not responded to requests for comment as of this writing.
