Rita Ora's decision to sue Jay Z's Roc Nation label 'sparked by Rihanna feud'

The songstress wants out of her contract
Rita Ora's decision to sue Jay Z's Roc Nation record label was reportedly sparked by her feud with Rihanna.


It's no secret the pair haven't always got along and now it's alleged Rihanna, who signed to Def Jam in 2005 when Jay Z was President before later moving to Roc Nation, played a part in Rita not getting treated as a priority at the company.

The Poison singer reportedly found out the Bajan-born star had been offered all the hit tracks before she was, even though she's still yet to make a follow-up to her 2012 debut.

This was said to be the final straw for the star who is now suing the rapper's Roc Nation label, which also has the likes of her ex Calvin Harris on their roster.

“Rihanna has never liked Rita and has been using her power at Roc Nation accordingly. This is the main reason the label’s execs have been uninterested in putting effort into promoting Rita," a source told The Sun.

“Songs that might be submitted to her are automatically given to Rihanna, who may then hold them for months before deciding she doesn’t want them. The fact that Rita’s ex Calvin Harris is on their management books hasn’t helped either.

The source also said the label didn't stop the millionaire DJ when he reportedly banned her from using songs he had produced for her album following their break up.
Last week The X Factor judge filed a lawsuit which stated her relationship with the company had been "irrevocably damaged".

“When Rita signed, Roc Nation and its senior executives were very involved with her as an artist. As Roc Nation's interests diversified, there were fewer resources available and the company suffered a revolving door of executives. Rita's remaining supporters at the label left or moved on to other activities, to the point where she no longer had a relationship with anyone at the company," it said.

The paperwork continues to call Roc Nation a “diminished" record label with "only a handful of admittedly worthy heritage superstar artists."

In an attempt to break her contract, Rita is citing Labour Code §2855, known colloquially as the ‘Seven Year Rule’.

The code was successfully used by actress Olivia De Haviland in 1944 when she filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros, setting a precedent for future cases in the showbiz industry.

Rita’s attorney Howard King said he hopes the judge can see that the same circumstances as Olivia’s case can be applied to Rita.

The complaint continues: "Rita's relationship with Roc Nation is irrevocably damaged. Fortunately for Rita, the California legislature had the foresight to protect its artists from the sorts of vicissitudes she's experienced with Roc Nation."

Mirror Celebs has contacted reps for Rihanna and Rita for comment.mirroruk