Pastore Attorneys have represented some of the highest profile artists and performers.
Pastore LLC and its attorneys have represented some of the most famous and successful music artists, including Curtis Jackson a.k.a “50 Cent” in connection with claims arising from defamation and slander and Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam a.k.a Akon in connection with investments in sustainable businesses.
The Firm also represents promoters and artists in connection with distribution agreements, including agreements with UMG recordings, Inc. DBA Varick Street, and one of its divisions “Def Jam” involving Initial Masters and Option Masters. Firm partners also have experience with Broadway matters, including New York’s rules for raising capital for Broadway shows and Broadway production, director and actor contracts.
Representative Matters
- Represented Curtis James Jackson III, known professionally as 50 Cent, an American rapper, actor, and businessman. 50 Cent has sold over 30 million albums worldwide and won several awards, including a Grammy Award, 13 Billboard Music Awards, six World Music Awards, three American Music Awards and four BET Awards. As an actor, 50 Cent appeared in the semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2005), the war film Home of the Brave (2006), and the crime thriller film Righteous Kill (2008). 50 Cent was ranked the sixth-best artist of the 2000s and the third-best rapper (behind Eminem and Nelly) by Billboard. Rolling Stone ranked Get Rich or Die Tryin’ and “In da Club” in its lists of the “100 Best Albums of the 2000s” and “100 Best Songs of the 2000s” at numbers 37 and 13, respectively). Partners represented 50 Cent in connection with a suit by Shaniqua Tompkins, who sued Jackson for $50 million, saying he promised to take care of her for life. The suit, with 15 causes of action, was dismissed by a judge who called it “an unfortunate tale of a love relationship gone sour.”
- Represented Aliaune Damala Badara Akon, known as Akon, a Senegalese- American singer, songwriter, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of “Locked Up” (featuring Styles P), the first single from his debut album Trouble (2004), followed by the second single “Lonely.” In 2018, Akon announced he was working with the Senegalese government to build a tourist city with a cryptocurrency-based economy named Akon City. At the time, it was said that Senegalese president Macky Sall had given Akon 7.8 square kilometres (3 sq mi) of land near the Blaise Diagne International Airport, approximately 50 kilometres (31 mi) from the capital of Dakar and will be the first 100% crypto-based city, with Akon’s own cryptocurrency, Akoin, at the transactional center. The Firm represents, limited liability companies established by Akon to continue similar projects and investments.
- Represented various artists and performers in connection with distribution agreements, including agreements with Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam). Def Jam is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group based in New York City specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The label has a London-based, UK arm known as 0207 Def Jam (formerly Def Jam UK in the 1990s until the mid-2000s), which is currently operated through EMI Records. Def Jam distributes releases of various label imprints.
- Firm partners also have experience with script writing for film, television and Broadway, option agreements for entertainment-related projects, New York’s rules for raising capital for Broadway shows and Broadway production, director and actor contracts.
- Pastore represented an entertainment production company in contracting Taurus Tremani Bartlett, also known as “Polo G,” for performances at a Canadian music festival. Polo G was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, and started his rap career at 19, having multiple chart-topping singles by the time he was 22. He signed with Columbia records in 2020. His singles “Finer Things” and “Pop Out” helped him rise to prominence. In 2021, his hit single “Rapstar” went number one on the Billboard Top 100. In September 2021, he co-wrote and was featured on “Better Days” with Mae Muller and Neiked, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 at number 23 in 2022.
- Pastore represented an entertainment production company in connection with the promotion of Julius Dubose, also known as “Boogie wit da Hoodie” in regards to performances across the United States in the latter half of 2023. Mr. Dubose is a 27-year old rapper from Bronx NY. In 2016, he signed a deal with Atlantic Records, and had 3 opening tour dates on Drake and Future’s Summer 16 Tour. He also started his own record label in 2016, Highbridge the Label. Named after the neighborhood Dubose grew up in, it is partnered with Atlantic Records and EMPIRE. He is most well-known for Billboard Top 100 singles like “Numbers” at no. 23, “Look Back at It” at no. 27, and “Drowning” at no. 38. He was also featured on the lead single “Calling” for the soundtrack of “Spiderman: Across the Spider-verse” movie released in June 2023.