AceShowbiz -

Being famous has its ups and downs. As for Beyonce Knowles, the singer is, for now on, facing the negative side, in which she and her mother Tina Knowles are hit by $1.5 million lawsuit brought by an ex-business associate who claims they neglected to compensate him for securing a deal involving their House of Dereon clothing line.

The suit, filed Wednesday July 19th in New York State Supreme Court by Greg Walker, CEO of Icon Entertainment, claimed the mother-daughter duo, who design the street-chic collection, hired him in August 2003 to help land endorsement and licensing opportunities. Walker then brokered a $15 million deal for the 24-year-old singer and her mother to create the clothing line with Wear Me Apparel, Corp., a clothing manufacturer. So far, he claims he's collected only $25,000 from Knowles' mother.

"Beyonce and Tina Knowles agreed on the term of our business relationship, but have failed to properly compensate me for reasons unknown to me," Walker said in a statement. "I just want to receive my fair share and move on with my business." Walker, moreover, also is suing Wear Me Apparel for neglecting to pay the remainder of his fee. The company has paid him $85,000, he claims.

Both defendants, however, refused to comment on the related matter.