Jay-Z is taking his partner Bacardi in the cognac business D’Usse to court. The rapper-turned-entrepreneur has demanded transparency from Bacardi to know how much money his famous cognac line is making. Jay and the alcohol giant brand have co-owned D’Usse since 2011 and they are 50-50 partners in the business.
In docs obtained by TMZ Hip Hop, Jay-Z’s company, SC Liquor, has demanded complete transparency in the business and has asked for all books and records along with the location of all warehouses that stores D’Usse barrels, bottles and accessories. He has also asked for Bacardi’s physical inventory and its inventory process.
In the docs, SC Liquor says it needs to “monitor the conduct of [Bacardi’s] business to protect SC Liquor’s rights as” a partner in the company.
Jay-Z is often seen giving shout-outs to the brand in his songs. He even drank the distinct and versatile cognac from one of his Grammys to promote the brand.
It’s still unclear what prompted Jay-Z to demand this info through a lawsuit, however, it is clear that there’s a level of distrust between the two partners.
Jay-Z and Bacardi’s representatives have not commented on the reports yet.