The legal battle between 1000Milan and AXLFOLIE is intensifying, escalating into a protracted and potentially costly dispute over the credit and compensation for Kendrick Lamar’s seminal 2012 album, ‘m.A.A.d City.’
1000Milan, a Miami-based producer and recording artist, initiated federal court action against the song’s co-producer, AXLFOLIE, alleging that AXLFOLIE blocked his rightful credit and payout. The lawsuit, filed since 1999, centers on the vocal match discovered through audio tracking sites, which predates any formal legal proceedings.
Court filings reveal that AXLFOLIE and partner Ricci Riera folded 1000Milan’s vocals and lyrics into the record that became Lamar’s ‘m.A.A.d City,’ featuring MC Eiht. Specifically, the lawsuit alleges that AXLFOLIE and Riera failed to properly delineate the split in royalties, leading to the record being presented as solely 1000Milan’s work. 1000Milan is seeking a declaration that he is entitled ‘by virtue of his status as a joint author of the Work, to receive the same writing credit that Defendant Morgan received in connection with ‘m.A.A.d city.’
AXLFOLIE’s own production website lists ‘m.A.A.d City’ among his platinum credits, alongside work for Drake and Nipsey Hussle. The lawsuit accuses AXLFOLIE of blocking the credit and payout, with the song remaining a prominent fixture on ‘m.A.A.d City’ – a record that has consistently charted among the top 10 in the Billboard Hot 100.
1000Milan’s team argues that AXLFOLIE never flatly denied ownership until an April 16, 2026 phone call with an attorney representing Riera. The attorney’s email, attached to the filing, explicitly states that Leon would provide the existing splits on ‘M.a.a.d. City.’ It then asks whether he is authorized to accept service on behalf of Messrs. Riera and/or Morgan.
The case, docketed as 2:26-cv-08937, was filed in Los Angeles federal court and is being pursued as a demand for a jury trial. 1000Milan’s attorneys are demanding a resolution to the dispute before the end of 2026.
1000Milan has stated that they are seeking joint authorship credit and a full accounting of the royalties, asserting that the current arrangement violates the terms of their agreement with the record label.
1000Milan’s legal strategy involves presenting evidence demonstrating that AXLFOLIE’s actions constituted a deliberate obstruction of their rightful claim to royalties. The firm is utilizing audio tracking data to bolster their argument, noting that the vocal match was discovered several years before any lawyers were involved.
Following this news, AllHipHop has been tracking 1000Milan’s progress, regularly providing updates on the lawsuit and its implications for the future of the ‘m.A.A.d City’ record. You can follow 1000Milan’s activities and insights on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/grouchy.tv – I am Grouchy Greg. I founded AllHipHop in 1996. In addition to running the site, I enjoy breaking news stories. My stories have been cited in The LA Times, NY Times, NY Post, TMZ, Yahoo, Billboard, The Associated Press, CNN, and more.
Source: AllHipHop
