Jill Scott says leaving record labels led to $19 million lawsuit and ‘smear campaign’

The Grammy winner opened up about her legal battle, industry frustrations and taking control of her career on Scott Evans’ “House Guest.”

Jill Scott says taking control of her music career meant fighting her former record label in a multimillion-dollar legal battle. The R&B icon recently recalled being sued for $19 million after leaving the traditional label system, a dispute that ultimately ended in a settlement.

The Grammy-winning singer made an appearance on Scott Evans’ “House Guest” podcast. She reflected on her decision to leave the traditional record-label system and take greater control over her career. Scott said the transition wasn’t easy.She recalled facing what she described as a “smear campaign” and a $19 million lawsuit after leaving her label. The singer questioned the size of the lawsuit, joking about whether her former label had actually made $19 million from her work.

Scott’s comments appear to reference her long-running dispute with Hidden Beach Recordings. In 2010, Hidden Beach sued Scott after she sought to end their professional relationship, alleging that she had failed to fulfill contractual obligations. Scott countersued the label, and the dispute was eventually settled in February 2011.

For Scott, the experience became part of a larger decision to step outside the traditional record-label structure. She also recalled the frustrations she experienced while trying to get her music supported by the industry. Scott described a system in which artists could feel responsible for generating attention for their own work despite having a record label behind them.

She recalled the difficulty of getting radio support, joking that artists could seemingly be expected to go to extraordinary lengths to win over industry executives. “I’m like, this is crazy,” Scott said. “The music is good. Is there any way that you could support that?” More than a decade after her legal dispute with Hidden Beach, Scott is operating on her own terms.

Her latest album, “To Whom This May Concern”, was released through her own Blues Babe Records. The project marked her first album in more than a decade. Scott has also put the lengthy gaps between her albums into perspective, noting that it took 27 years to make “Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1” and 10 years to make “To Whom This May Concern”.

Scott’s career continues beyond music as well. She has returned to acting, reprising her role as Sheila in Tyler Perry’s soon-to-be-released “Why Did I Get Married Again?” The role is bringing her back together with the franchise’s cast as their characters navigate life and marriage in their 50s.