According to reports, the wife of the late founding Roots member Leonard "Hub" Hubbard is suing Questlove and Black Thought for fraud after claiming they defrauded Hubbard out of millions of dollars over the last decade.
The lawsuit claims that Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter, Roots manager Shawn Gee and Roots employee Munir Nuriddin violated federal RICO statutes by scheming to deny Hubbard his earnings from the band dating back to 2013.
Per Philly Voice:
Hubbard and fellow Roots' founding member Malik B. were each given a 17% stake in Grand Negaz, Inc., a corporate entity that the band used to purchase its trademark and finance business ventures, when it was founded in 1993, according to the lawsuit. Hubbard was also given a 25% stake in a company that handled the band's recordings and publishing, and a 33% stake in its touring performance company. [...] His estate claims that, from 2013 onward, Gee, Thompson and Trotter "took control" of the finances and the band's business entities, including all of Hubbard's share value. The band formed Legendelphia, a separate business entity, in 2013, allegedly using funds from Grand Negaz, Inc. without Hubbard's consent, attempting to transfer and convert much of the original company's assets to a new company owned exclusively by the band's co-founders.
"I would hope that these guys would have enough respect and compassion for their former band member... to make sure that he receives compensation for what may have not been given to him in the past, and so that his widow can live a reasonable life," said attorney Luke Lucas who is representing the Hubbard estate.
Hubbard's last project with The Roots was 2006's "Game Theory" after which he left the group following a cancer diagnosis only performing with the group once in 2008 at the Roots Picnic and again in 2010 as the band performed alongside John Legend.
Source: Phillyvoice.com
