Summer Walker in Legal Dispute With UMG Over Interscope Record Deal

Summer Walker and Universal Music Group (UMG) are in a legal dispute over the status of her deal with Interscope Records.

Walker, who signed a joint deal with Interscope and label/management company LVRN in 2017, sent a notice of termination to Interscope parent UMG in August.

The music giant responded on Friday (Oct.

9) by submitting a lawsuit, obtained and first reported by Billboard , alleging that if Walker does indeed break their deal, she’d owe $50 million for not yet delivering all her promised albums.

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1 Trilogy on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart Hilary Duff to Receive Outstanding Pop Tour of the Year Award at 2026 Billboard Live Music Summit Judge Rules Woman Accused of Shooting at Rihanna & A$AP Rocky's Home Mentally Fit to Stand Trial The singer-songwriter is invoking California’s “seven-year statute,” a 1944 state law that allows an individual to exit a personal services contract after that amount of time.

The statute was amended in 1987 to allow record labels to sue artists for damages if they leave after seven years but before fulfilling all their album commitments.

Under that law, labels only have 45 days to bring such lawsuits in response to contract termination notices.

UMG’s Friday complaint, brought at the tail-end of that period, alleges Walker has only delivered three projects from her contract’s five-album commitment: her 2019 debut Over It , which hit No.

2 on the Billboard 200, the 2021 chart-topper Still Over It and another No.

2 set, Finally Over It , in 2025.

A spokesperson for Interscope told Billboard in a statement Friday, “While we remain hopeful that our ongoing discussions will lead to an amicable resolution, the statutory deadline makes it necessary to file suit in order to preserve the terms of our contract.

We have great respect for Summer and her music and would welcome the opportunity to continue our successful partnership.” Walker’s reps did not immediately return a request for comment on the matter.

Labels have in the past used these types of damages lawsuits to respond when artists seek to terminate their record deals under the seven-year statute.