It has been over two decades since 2Pac tragically lost his life, but everyone still wants a piece of the iconic figure. His catalog continues to rival that of any hip-hop artist ever, and one singer who worked with him during the mid-90's decided she wasn't satisfied with the compensation she received.
Natasha Walker, who was credited for backup vocals on the song "Bury Me a G," is suing Pac's estate for royalties she says she's owed. In documentation Walker provided to TMZ, she claims she had a deal with 2Pac arranged in 1993 that would have made the song a collaborative effort, affording her half of the ownership of the track.
There are a few problems with Walker's claim. First, the statute of limitations for contract claims in the state of California is four years, so there's not a lot of legal ground for Walker to stand on over 20 years later. A lawyer for Walker counters that because the song continues to collect royalties through various means, her client has the right to collect for past and present royalties, damages, and attorney's fees.
The song itself also doesn't really hint at a full partnership. If you listen to the final version of the track—which first appeared on Pac's Thug Life group album and ended up featuring six different artists—certainly doesn't sound like it's a 50-50 split creatively. The gap in creative burden only sounds larger on an unofficial/unreleased version of the track featuring only 2Pac and Walker, where Pac continues to carry the majority of the workload.
Usually, the shoe is on the other foot for 2Pac's estate. Without the rapper around to demand the money he's owed himself, his estate has had to sue companies for proper compensation in the past, including a seven-figure lawsuit orchestrated by his mother, Afeni Shakur, back in 2013.
Barring some really damning paperwork, this doesn't seem like it's going to get too far. It's another unfortunate chapter for 2Pac's memory in 2017, coming weeks after the heavily-panned 2Pac biopic All Eyez on Me was crushed by former allies and younger fans of the rapper.
