P. Diddy Gets Hit With Lawsuit From 'I'll Be Missing You' Songwriters

NEW YORK (RnB Magazine) - Sean "P. Diddy" Combs and Bad Boy Entertainment have been hit with a $4 million lawsuit in Manhattan Supreme Court. The suit, which was filed by Universal-MCA Publishing on behalf of three songwriters--namely, Kelly Price, Jeremy Graham, and Todd Gaither (Sauce Money)--alleges that the songwriters were never paid any royalties for penning Combs's biggest hit to date, "I'll Be Missing You," which was a dedication to his deceased friend, rapper the Notorious B.I.G.

"Specifically, the suit charges the recording agreement Combs struck with his company is a sham and designed to keep cash out of the writers' pockets, because it places a cap on the amount of royalties paid out on songs written or co-written by Combs," according to New York's Daily News. Matters are further complicated by the fact that the song included a prominent sample of the Police's "Every Breathe You Take."

Price, Graham, and Gaither co-wrote another five songs in addition to "I'll Be Missing You" on Combs's multiplatinum, 1997 album, No Way Out. Combs earned a best rap album Grammy for the collection.

When reporters contacted Combs's spokesperson, they were informed that this matter was actually not a new issue and that "this lawsuit has no merit whatsoever."