Rap group Bad Boy Chiller Crew sue record label
3 min read
British rap group Bad Boy Chiller Crew has filed a legal claim against their record label, House Anxiety, in the High Court, alleging they are owed around £400,000 in unpaid royalties. The trio from Bradford, known for their high-energy anthems, are famous for their bass-driven sound and were nominated for the Brit Award for Best Group last year. They say they had no choice but to take legal action against the label, which signed them in 2020 and released their Full Wack No Breaks mixtape that same year.
In response, House Anxiety has denied the accusations, saying they “totally refute these claims” and are eager to clarify what they describe as “inaccuracies” regarding the group’s financial claims. The crux of Bad Boy Chiller Crew’s legal action lies in their assertion that they were entitled to royalty statements every six months, but the first statement they received was not delivered until October 2024. The statement contained several discrepancies, including substantial sums that were wrongfully deducted, as well as the omission of £217,000 that House Anxiety had received from a licensing deal with a subsidiary of major label Sony.
Bad Boy Chiller Crew argues that without a full set of accounts, they cannot determine the exact amount they are owed, but they estimate it will exceed £400,000. Additionally, the group maintains that their contract with House Anxiety has ended. In a move that further escalated tensions, the group released a new single and an EP independently in June. However, they were forced to remove the tracks from streaming platform Spotify after House Anxiety objected, claiming the release violated the terms of their contract.
In a statement to the BBC, the group explained their decision to pursue legal action, emphasizing that they did not want to resort to litigation but felt it was the only option available to them. They expressed frustration over being unable to release their music independently and not receiving the royalties owed from their work. “Like all other bands, we don’t look for litigation, but when faced with a label that won’t let us put our own music out ourselves for our fans and not pay us royalties owed from our own music, we felt we had no other option,” the statement read.
House Anxiety founder Jaimie Hodgson responded to the claim, stating that the label “totally refutes these claims” and welcoming the opportunity to address what he called “inaccuracies” in the allegations. He also reiterated the label’s pride in their work with the group, saying, “As an artist-friendly independent label, we remain hugely proud of every element of Full Wack No Breaks and all the hard work that went into its campaign, then stepping aside to allow BBCC to pursue their dreams of being a major label artist. There will be no further comment at this time.”
The group’s debut mixtape, Full Wack No Breaks, included their breakthrough track “450.” The follow-up album, Disrespectful, was released in 2022 and achieved major success, reaching number two on the UK album charts. The album featured the top 10 hit single “BMW,” and the group also starred in their own ITV2 reality show in 2021, further increasing their visibility and popularity.
The legal dispute highlights ongoing tensions within the music industry, particularly the challenges faced by artists in navigating contracts with record labels. Bad Boy Chiller Crew’s case underscores the increasing importance of transparency and fair compensation, as well as the need for artists to retain greater control over their music and earnings.
As the case progresses, it remains to be seen how the court will resolve the allegations and whether this will mark a shift in how independent labels handle royalty payments and contractual obligations with emerging artists. The outcome of the lawsuit could set a significant precedent for other musicians navigating similar challenges in the industry.
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