Publisher Throws the Book at Foxy Brown, Lil' Kim

Simon & Schuster sues rappers for never delivering on a promised memoir and novel after they received advances

UPDATE: Foxy Brown attorney Laura Dilimetin tells AllHipHop.com that it wasn't her client's idea to lay down her pen.

"With Simon & Schuster's blessings, Foxy Brown underwent extensive surgical procedures and a lengthy recovery time, fighting to restore her hearing," Dilimetin said in a statement.

After the rapper completed rehabiliation, "Simon & Schuster decided not to go forward with the [plan to publish Brown's autobiography]. Many attempts were made by Foxy Brown's agents to resurrect the deal, to no avail.

"I find it suspect that after all of these years of silence, Simon and Shuster pick now to bring this meritless action when they were the ones to halt the project."
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Being incarcerated may be a pretty good excuse, but Simon & Schuster apparently doesn't care what led to Lil' Kim and Foxy Brown's writers block.

The New York-based publisher sued the rappers Thursday, intending to get its money back after paying out generous advances for books that the ladies never completed.

According to the dual lawsuits filed in New York State Supreme Court, Simon & Schuster gave Kim, whose real name is Kimberly Jones, $40,000 in 2003 for a novel that was supposed to be finished the following year. Brown was then paid $75,000 in 2005 to pen her autobiography, which was tentatively titled Broken Silence.

"Both accepted the money, and both books never were delivered," S&S spokesman Adam Rothberg told Bloomberg.com.

Since then, however, both hip-hop stars have spent time behind bars for various offenses—Brown for violating her probation multiple times after finally being sentenced for a 2004 fight in a Manhattan nail shop, and Kim for perjury and conspiracy after lying to a grand jury about her friend's involvement in a 2001 shooting.

Brown, whose real name is Inga Marchand, was released in April after serving eight months of a yearlong sentence. Kim's been a free bird since July 2006, when she flew the coop after spending 10 months behind bars.

But even with all that life experience under their belts, neither MC has done enough prosaic musing to satisfy Simon & Schuster, which also published 50 Cent's autobiography and books penned by members of his G-Unit crew.

(Originally published July 24, 2008 at 6:05 p.m. PT)