Madlib sues former manager for alleged “pervasive mismanagement”Producer and artist Madlib has initiated legal action against his former manager, Eothen “Egon” Alapatt, for alleged “self-dealing” and “concealing information” while engaging in “persistent and pervasive mismanagement” of Madlib’s businesses.
The complaint document, seen by MusicTech, states that as Madlib left Stones Throw Records in 2010, Egon was fired. At this point, Madlib (who still trusted Egon), asked him to continue managing his business affairs.

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The complaint was filed on 31 October, which holds significance as ‘DOOMSDAY’ in memory of MF DOOM, who passed away four years ago on the same date. The DOOM Estate is also currently involved in litigation with Alapatt, seeking the return of 33 notebooks that allegedly contain DOOM’s personal catalogue of unreleased tracks, writing, and creative ideas. According to Billboard, Egon’s lawyer alleges he “rescued” the notebooks and had “Doom’s blessing” to donate them to a museum.
In Madlib’s lawsuit, it is explained that he told Egon after leaving the Stones Throw label that he wanted to own and control his music. The proposition offered by Egon and accepted by Madlib was for Egon to create a business entity owned by Madlib, to be managed by Egon, and to be used as a vehicle for Madlib’s career and the production, recording, and distribution of his recorded music. Profits would be shared between them. As a result, Egon formed Madicine Show.
A few years after Madicine Show was formed, Madlib, Egon, and Jeffrey “Jeff Jank” Carlson also formed Rapp Cats. This was also to be managed by Egon and used as a vehicle for Madlib’s music merchandising activities, with profits to be shared among the three. Jank is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
Madlib’s complaint alleges that Egon did not perform the duties he was supposed to, and claims he was allegedly “engaged in rank self-dealing, concealing information from and repeatedly breaching his duties to Madlib, and otherwise engaging in persistent and pervasive mismanagement, as well as abuse of his role in Madicine Show, Rapp Cats and Madlib’s professional and business affairs.”
Among the list of complaints are claims that Madlib discovered “several accounting irregularities” involving Madicine Show and Rappcats, and that he was unable to find “any backup documentation for, among other things, payments to Egon, Jank and others as ‘consulting,’ ‘commissions,’ ‘fees’ or ‘reimbursements’ (totalling in the several hundred thousands of dollars).”
Madlib also claims that Egon “improperly inserted” his own record label (former Stones Throw subsidiary, Now-Again Records) into business affairs, and alleges that Egon “locked [him] out of several key music business platforms”, such as Apple Music, Bandcamp, and YouTube, as well as Madlib’s own Facebook account and the Instagram account for his Quasimoto project.
In his lawsuit, Madlib “requests that the Court decree the dissolution and supervise the wind up of both Madicine Show and Rapp Cats”. He also seeks “an award of punitive and exemplary damages” and a declaration from the court that none of the defendants “own or has any continuing right or interest” in his recorded music, professional career, trademarks, name, and likeness. He and his team have also requested a jury trial.
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