Dr. Dre Sues Death Row for Unpaid Royalties

There's still no word on the official release date of Dr. Dre's long-awaited 'Detox' album, but in the meantime, the Compton rapper is hitting up his former label Death Row Records for some overdue funds.

Dre, real name Andre Young, brought a lawsuit against the reincarnated label -- now, WIDEawake Death Row Records -- in a Los Angeles Federal Court this week. He claims that the label, which came under new ownership in 2009 after facing bankruptcy, has re-released his famous album 'The Chronic,' although he has not received royalties since he left the original label in 1996.

According to the lawsuit, Dre's lawyers notified the new company that they still owed royalties for the original 'Chronic' album, but owners failed to pay up, and instead released 'The Chronic Re-Lit' and a greatest hits collection, without the green light from Dre. The legendary rapper seeks compensation of more than $75,000 in damages from the new label. His claims include false advertising, trademark infringement, breach of contract and misappropriation of publicity. The paperwork also goes on to target the new label for profits made from digital sales of 'The Chronic,' since digital distribution rights were not included in Dre's original contract.

Dre's attorney, Howard King, issued a statement on behalf of the rapper addressing the current legal battle with WIDEawake Entertainment Group. "When it came to paying artist royalties and honoring limits on Dr. Dre recordings that could be released, the "new" Death Row Records, to quote our client, 'forgot about Dre,"'King said. "This lawsuit will make sure they remember."

Dr. Dre's 'Chronic' album was originally released on Death Row Records in 1992. The producer is currently at work on his third studio album, 'Detox'