Rob Fusari Files $35M Lawsuit Against Lady Gaga

Remember when I did that post about producer Rob Fusari who called out Lady GaGa by saying that she used to hate dance music and ‘performance art’? Well now Fusari has filed a $30 million suit against two companies owned by the singer, asking for a 20% cut from a contract he says he signed with GaGa’s team in 2006.
Fusari, who penned and produced several songs from Lady GaGa’s multi-platinum debut The Fame including her hit single “Paparazzi”, says he was romantically involved with the singer, helped her get her record deal with Interscope Records, convinced her to switch from the rock music she loved to the more commercial dance beats that have now become her trademark, and even came up with the name “Lady GaGa”.
According to the lawsuit, Lady Gaga and Fusari’s relationship turned romantic and then became a business partnership in May 2006, when they created a joint venture called Team Love Child LLC to promote her career. Fusari’s share was 20 percent.
The lawsuit says that once his romantic relationship with GaGa (real name Stefani Germanotta) turned sour that she denied him a 20 percent share of song royalties, 15 percent of merchandising revenue and other money that he’s owed.
“It’s an age-old story in the music business,” said Robert Meloni, a lawyer for Fusari. “You become famous and you turn on the person who discovered you.” {source}
Although this case pertains to potential royalties that are owed, this isn’t the first time that the authenticity of Lady GaGa’s image and sound have come into question. In August last year GaGa’s first booking manager and producer Frankie Fredericks claimed that GaGa was a brilliant musician and composer who had never shown an interest in commercial pop music, but sold out and completely changed her sound and image once she got a major record deal.
He also said that Rob Fusari was involved in creating the “Lady GaGa” name, and that he doesn’t buy her “Lady GaGa” image as her true persona like she so feverishly insists that it is. {source}
Do you believe Rob’s claims against Steffie G, or do you think he just wants a bigger slice of the GaGa pie?