Daz Dillinger, the rapper and pioneering West Coast hip-hop producer who worked extensively with Tupac Shakur, has sued Amaru Entertainment, accusing the company founded by Shakur’s mother of failing to properly account for and pay royalties tied to some of the late rap legend’s best-known records.
The lawsuit, filed May 8 in a Los Angeles federal court, says Dillinger, whose legal name is Delmar Arnaud, contributed writing, production, vocal performance and other creative work to numerous Shakur-related songs and recordings. The complaint names Amaru Entertainment, which controls portions of Shakur’s estate and catalog, as the defendant.
Songs identified include “Ambitionz az a Ridah,” “I Ain’t Mad at Cha,” “2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted,” “Got My Mind Made Up” and “Skandalouz,” along with remixes and related versions.
Dillinger alleges that Amaru has exploited, licensed, administered and collected revenue from those works while failing to provide full royalty statements or a complete accounting of what he’s owed. The suit says Dillinger demanded payment and records by Oct. 18, 2024, after which Amaru paid him $91,445.27.
But the complaint says Amaru did not explain the basis for that payment, including which works or time periods it covered, or what deductions, reserves or offsets were applied. Dillinger alleges that additional royalties and profits remain unpaid.
“Amaru’s payment confirms that monies were due,” the lawsuit says, but its failure to disclose the basis for the payment prevented Dillinger from determining whether it was “complete, accurate, timely, and inclusive of all exploitations.”
The complaint brings claims for accounting, breach of contract, breach of good faith and fair dealing, and other claims. It seeks a full accounting, damages, restitution, disgorgement, payment of royalties and profits found due, interest, costs and attorneys’ fees. Dillinger also demanded a jury trial.
Since 2016, when founder Afeni Shakur died of a heart attack, Amaru has been managed by Tom Whalley, who first signed Tupac to Interscope Records and has been battling for control of his estate with Sekyiwa Shakur, Tupac’s younger half-sister and president of the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation.
