T-Pain is once again suing his former label, Akon’s Konvict Entertainment, claiming unpaid royalties.
According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, T-Pain filed on Friday, alleging that Konvict Entertainment owes him “$489,047 from a $1.3 million royalty payment it received at the end of March from a distributor.”
Per the suit, T-Pain claims that Konvict Entertainment “is in breach of his recording agreement as well as a 2025 settlement agreement that resolved the first lawsuit, filed in 2018.”
The lawsuit states Konvict paid T-Pain $489,047 in early June—only half his owed royalties, with the rest sent to Konvict affiliate BuVision. After BuVision failed to pay up and Konvict ignored a formal breach notice, T-Pain sued. BuVision is not named as a defendant.
T-Pain claims his contract entitles him to 75% of the net royalties Konvict receives from distributors.
T-PAIN’S HISTORY WITH AKON
T-Pain’s path to joining Akon’s Konvict Muzik began in 2004 when he recorded “I’m F**ked Up,” an unauthorized remix of Akon’s smash hit “Locked Up”. Hearing the track, Akon recognized T-Pain’s potential and personally reached out to recruit him as the flagship artist for his newly established label.
Despite receiving rival signing offers as high as $900,000 from major record companies, T-Pain chose to sign with Konvict Muzik in 2005 for a modest $20,000 advance. He was drawn to Akon’s pledge of hands-on mentorship and a true partnership over a standard corporate deal.
Together under the Konvict Muzik umbrella, the duo helped define the Auto-Tune-heavy sonic identity of mid-2000s pop and hip-hop. T-Pain originally offered “I’m Sprung” to Akon, but kept it after Akon passed.The single became a massive success, anchoring T-Pain’s 2005 debut album Rappa Ternt Sanga. Their working relationship produced a string of chart-topping hits, solo smashes, and notable collaborations, establishing Konvict Muzik as a dominant force in mainstream music.