(Jill Scott.Com)
Neo-soul singer Jill Scott was recently hit with a suit by her former long-time friend Mister Man Frisby over her Hallmark card deal.
According to Daily News Philly, Frisby claims he pitched the idea of turning song lyrics into greeting cards to the “So Gone” singer 10 years ago. He’s also alleging that Scott vowed to split the revenue with him “50-50” if he could guarantee a deal and his task was to decide which lyrics would be used for the cards reported by the Philly Inquirer.
The “Jill Scott Collection” which is part of Hallmark’s Mahogany brand was announced by the singer in 2017.
“The Mahogany brand is genuine, progressive and optimistic – values that are important to me and reflected in my music and poetry, and now, through my card collection… I was inspired by highlights within my own life – love, marriage, motherhood – in the writing behind these cards, and I am excited to be involved in a project that will give others another way to express their love to the people that matter most to them,” she said in a press release.
The lawsuit document states that Scott “unilaterally put Frisby’s activities ‘on hold'” as her career started to peak. Frisby said the Grammy award-winning singer “had concealed her actions” and began the collection without him, according to the suit he filed after he discovered the launch of her line eight months later.
The journalist is alleging that Scott broke her verbal agreement by “falsely stating” she would cut him in on the deal, avoiding him, and proceeding with the card deal without disclosing the information to him.
Frisby is asking for 50 percent of Scott’s greeting-card line in addition to over $50,000 in damages.