Jay-Z, Damon Dash Sued Over State Property Film

A Philadelphia man is suing Jay-Z, Damon Dash and Roc-A-Fella Films for $15 million over their 2002 film State Property. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, South Philly author Antonne Jones claims that the film’s plot was ripped off from his book, The Family: A Philadelphia Mob Story. Jones claims that he met with the two moguls in 1998 and offered them the rights to the story for $500,000, but was instead offered $50,000. After rejecting the lower offer, the author says he never heard from Jay and Dame again. In 2002, Roc-A-Fella Films released State Property, which went on to gross 2.1 million dollars and led to the 2005 sequel State Property 2. Jones filed his suit, which also names Lion’s Gate—the film’s distributor—in Manhattan federal court on Monday (May 21).