Judge orders halt of rappers record sales after dispute over finances

<p>A Chatham County Superior Court judge has ordered Pure Pain Records to stop selling slain rapper Camoflauges albums until it submits an accountant-certified financial statement of sales.</p><p>Camoflauge, whose real name was Jason Johnson, was fatally shot in May while walking with his toddler son outside the recording studio in midtown Savannah.</p><p>Tammie Greene, the mother of the 21-year-old rapper, claims the independent label has failed to produce an adequate accounting of sales from her sons three albums and a DVD. The studio also has paid no royalties to her sons estate since his death, she claims in a lawsuit filed last month.</p><p>Theyre selling them from the vehicle, which has my sons picture all over it, Greene testified at a Friday hearing. My son has two children and I feel if theres money being made, he would want it to go to his children.</p><p>Judge John E. Morse on Friday ordered the halt of sales after ruling that an uncertified record of finances provided by the studio, which claimed a $206,000 loss in 2002 and 2003, was not a valid source of information. Sales of $trictly 4 Da $treets may continue because it was issued when Camoflauge was under contract with Universal Records.</p><p>There are sales being done on a cash basis and going out the back door, said Bart Turner, who represents Camoflauges estate. Its my belief they do not want to show Ms. Greene how much money theyre making.</p><p>Diane McLeod, who represents the studio, said album sales arent as hot as believed, suggesting that the CDs could bootlegs sold without the studios knowledge. Pure Pain is operating at a loss from producing the rappers third and most recent album, Keepin It Real, she said.</p><p>McLeod would not say when the label would turn over its finances or if it would stop sales.</p><p>No suspects have been named in the rappers death.</p><p>Information from: Savannah Morning News</p>

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