AceShowbiz - Gunna is suing concert promoters who allegedly failed to pay him a $750,000 fee for performing at an X Games party earlier this year. The rapper claims the promoters promised payment but never delivered, leading to a lawsuit filed on March 17.

The legal complaint, first reported by Billboard, accuses Mickle and Mickle Productions and associated individuals of fraud, breach of contract, and civil conspiracy. Gunna’s suit aims to recover his unpaid performance fee of $750,000, plus additional damages.

Gunna (real name Sergio Kitchens) agreed to perform on January 22 during the X Games weekend in Aspen, Colorado, based on Mickle and Mickle’s promise to pay $500,000 by the end of the event. The contract included a clause imposing an extra $250,000 penalty if payment was not made that day.

Despite this agreement, the payment never arrived. According to the lawsuit, a prolonged exchange ensued between Gunna’s legal team and Mickle and Mickle’s CEO, Daphney Mickle Golden. Golden reportedly gave inconsistent explanations for the missing funds, including claims that the money was tied up in gold commodities, involved in a "multibillion-dollar transaction involving multiple nations," or would come from funding sources such as a "major alcohol brand" or New York’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

The suit states, "Upon information and belief, no sponsorship funds, stakeholder funds, parade funds, commodity funds, or other third-party funding source referenced by defendants was ever secured, encumbered or deployed to satisfy plaintiff's contractual entitlement."

Further casting doubt on the legitimacy of Mickle and Mickle Productions, Gunna’s attorneys have been unable to find any official business registration for the company. The lawsuit alleges that Golden operated with a group of questionable associates, including an anonymous figure dubbed "The Secret" in email communications.

The complaint describes the conduct as part of a “coordinated scheme.” Besides Mickle and Mickle and Golden, the lawsuit also names lawyer Ezekiel Bottorff and another promoter, Stars in Action, as defendants. Notably, the organizers of the X Games are not implicated in any wrongdoing.

When contacted, the defendants did not provide a comment. A representative from the X Games clarified that Mickle and Mickle and the other promoters were independent and unaffiliated with the official event. They also confirmed that Gunna performed at a party the night before the actual competition, not during the X Games themselves.

This case highlights potential risks artists face when dealing with unverified promoters and underscores the importance of clear contractual agreements and verified payment sources.

Gunna is pursuing this legal action through his company, Gunna Touring LLC, seeking full compensation and accountability for the alleged fraudulent behavior surrounding his X Games performance.