Looks like Rick James' heirs won't be super-freaking out in court next week.
The singer's estate has settled its lawsuit against his former music publisher for illicitly licensing James' tunes, heading off a trial that was set to kick off Jan. 7.
The complaint, filed last March in Los Angeles Superior Court, claimed that Brooklyn Music Publishing signed deals with European publishers covering James' profitable catalog, even after being informed that his estate had opted not to renew its contract with the California-based company.
In court documents, James' trust alleged that Brooklyn Music cashed in by licensing dozens of the singer's compositions—but not including his biggest hit, "Super Freak"—and then failed to pay his estate its share of the revenue.
After the family filed suit, trustees contended that the publishing firm also refused to turn over vital copyright information along with royalties generated via side deals in Europe.
Financial terms of the settlement weren't disclosed. Lawrence Iser, an attorney for the estate, and Vincent Chieffo, a lawyer representing Brooklyn Music Publishing, were not available for comment.
The Grammy-winning James died in 2004 at age 56 from heart failure brought on by years of heavy drug use. Since his death, his estate has issued a posthumous album, Deeper Still, and an autobiography, The Confessions of Rick James: Memoirs of a Super Freak, which is being developed as a big-screen biopic.