G Herbo has broken his silence regarding a contract dispute with his former manager and record label over an alleged multi-million dollar debt. The Chicago native recently shared details surrounding his legal battle with Joseph “JB” Bowden, and Bowden’s record label, Machine Entertainment, which the rapper has worked with the entirety of his career. Bowden claims his former client owes him $8.4 million from services rendered throughout their professional relationship.
Herbo went on social media and claimed that he’s being taken advantage of due to a show of “good faith” in Bowden, whom he says trusted with his life at one point in time. “I’ve been signed to Machine since I was 16-years-old—I was a minor my parents had to sign me up,” he began. “We been family, independently made history. Boom, at 16, first and foremost I signed my publishing away perpetually for $15,000. But he claim he ain’t know the business—but I was young anyway.
“Over the years, been independent working with other labels, Sony/RED, Epic, now we on the Republic [Records] system. I never had a direct deal with the label. It’s always been with Machine,” the 28-year-old said.
“So, over the years, when we started generating money. He pulled me to the side like, ‘Bro, let me run your business for you.’ I wasn’t really business savvy. And this was somebody I trust with my life, like my brother, like a father figure. ‘I’m your business for you, bro.’ Alright, so from then on, he’s running my business, paying my bills, staff, everything.”
“Long story short, 12 years later, I been hearing rumors that I owe him money. He told me if it ain’t working he’d let me off the contract,” the Humble Beast creator continued. “So boom, he signed me out, three copies. But thing is, I was about to let him manipulate me and leave out without nothing. After we leave the meeting everybody outside, I’m like nah bro he gotta sign this out of good faith. He signed three copies, shake hands after everything.”
The hitmaker then advised less experienced artists to take his story as a cautionary tale and to make wiser decisions in their business dealings. “Young artists, you got to stand your ground, man,” he added. “What’s right if I’m saying it. I’m blessed to be able to do this here. I mean, have the resources to be able to still provide for myself, my family, go to war in this way, the right way, the legal way.”
See G Herbo’s speak on his split from Machine Entertainment Group below.
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