Chris Brown’s “Party” Producer Sues Sony For $1.25M Over Royalty Dispute

Chris Brown‘s “Party” producer sued Sony Music for nearly $1.25 million over a pay dispute and a stalled rights deal. The suit claims the label paid him half the rate he was owed, then held up a change in who would get the checks.

Ishmael Sadiq Montague, known as ISM, filed the suit on October 16 in New York federal court. Sony is the sole defendant. Chris Brown is not being sued in this case.

The dispute centers on the 2016 song with Usher and Gucci Mane. The suit said his deal with Chris Brown Entertainment gave ISM a 1.5% royalty. That was his share after a split with fellow producer A1. Sony paid his share but used a rate of 0.75%, the filing claims.

The suit links that claim to a July review of his records. ISM flagged the gap to Sony in August. That review said he got about half the pay he was due for the last period.

The cash demand goes beyond that claimed shortfall. ISM said he sold royalty interests to Xposure Music Holdings in June. The deal called for Sony to send checks to the buyer from September 1 onward. His suit claims Sony stalled the payee change for six weeks and held up that sale.

“The compensation sought is not a computation of royalties; it is what the conduct cost, and what it would have cost Sony to obtain those concessions honestly,” the complaint stated.

Much of the fight turned on the terms of a form. The suit says Sony asked him to sign a form that said the payee had no right to audit Sony or its affiliates. Staff called the terms fixed rules. But, by his account, a form with those terms cut was already in Sony’s files.

The filing also points to a clash in what Sony told his team. On July 24, staff said there was no account for his share, according to the suit. Four days later, Sony confirmed it was accounting for the Chris Brown track. He cited years of Sony statements as proof that the account was there all along.

ISM claimed those weeks of talks put pressure on him to take Sony’s terms. He signed the new form on August 29 but said he did not give up his claims.

“On August 29, 2026, plaintiff executed the form Sony produced. The executed instrument contains no release, no waiver, and no acknowledgment of any account,” the complaint stated.

Sony’s in-house lawyer denied liability on October 15 and called the matter “fully resolved,” according to the complaint. The suit seeks at least $1,247,500 for the harm claimed, plus punitive damages on the fraud counts. ISM also asked the court to order an audit and award any unpaid funds it finds.