What Did Jason Derulo Do? The Lawsuit Against Him
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If you missed the news and wondering why he’s making a statement claiming “defamatory” comments, you might be wondering: what did Jason Derulo do?
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If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, free and confidential help is available. Call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
Derulo is an American singer, songwriter, and dancer. He was born on September 21, 1989, in Miramar, Florida, USA, with the birth name Jason Joel Desrouleaux. He gained prominence in the mid-2000s and has since become a well-known figure in the world of pop and R&B music.
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His breakout hit was the release of his debut single “Whatcha Say” in 2009, which became a commercial success and reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. He followed it up with several hit songs, including “In My Head,” “Ridin’ Solo,” “Talk Dirty,” “Want to Want Me,” and “Swalla,” among others. He has released multiple albums throughout his career, such as Jason Derulo in 2010, Future History in 2011, and Tattoos in 2013.
But on Thursday, October 5, 2023, an aspiring music artist filed a lawsuit against him, claiming some troubling behavior that he denies. Here’s what we know about the allegations against Jason Derulo.
What did Jason Derulo do?
Emaza Gibson claims Jason Derulo reached out to her with the promise of a record deal. “’I’m like, OK, well, Jason is a great artist—big, international, powered with Atlantic—this should be a no-brainer’, and I should be able to, you know, start my solo career,” Gibson said in an interview with NBC News, who first broke the story of the lawsuit.
Gibson filed seven complaints against the defendants including quid pro quo sexual harassment, sexual harassment, failure to prevent and/or remedy harassment, retaliation, intimidation and violence, breach of contract and breach of good faith. She is also suing Frank Harris (Derulo’s manager), Atlantic Records, Future History, and RCA Records for allegedly ignoring her complaints.
After they started working together, Derulo often invited her to drinks and dinner at a members-only lounge, which she declined in order to keep their relationship professional. He later began inviting her to drink during their studio sessions, according to the suit which described events taking place from November 2021 to June 2022.
“I told him that I wasn’t a drinker … so it’s like, you know, you’re not listening to that the first time I tell you, and you’re still pushing on me,” Gibson said in the NBC News interview. “It’s, like, pressure at this point.” He is said to have turned cold after she repeatedly rejected his advances.
“I’m at this point in my life right now, it’s very heartbreaking,” Gibson said. “I have anxiety; I’m traumatized. I’ve dealt with inhumane work situations. … I’m at this point where I’m back to zero and I have nothing.” She was eventually dropped by Atlantic altogether and she is accusing Derulo of quid pro quo sexual harassment.
In one section, the complaint reads, “After this session, where [Gibson] declined to drink and have sex with Derulo, the offer to arrange for [Gibson] to get to and from Derulo’s studio ceased.”
Per Variety, Gibson is suing for general, special and punitive damages, as well as prejudgement interest on lost wages and benefits and attorney fees. She described to Rolling Stone that the lawsuit was “devastating” as she had always looked up to Derulo and held deep aspirations to become a successful musician. “This is something I always wanted to do since I was a little girl. Jason was one of my favorite artists on the pop scene. I accept this amazing offer only to find out the person I looked up to would put me through such a traumatic situation,” she said. She claims that she’s now suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
“She’s been working for this contract since she was in middle school. She gets a chance, and all of a sudden, it comes with strings attached,” added her lawyer, Ronald Zambrano. “She’s traumatized, trying to cope with everything. It’s devastating for her. She wanted to record music based on things that were promised.”
How did Jason Derulo respond to the lawsuit?
Jason Derulo responded to the lawsuit on Friday October 6, 2023. “I wouldn’t normally comment but these claims are completely false and hurtful. I stand against all forms of harassment and I remain supportive of anybody following their dreams,” he said in a statement issued to Instagram. “I’ve always strived to live my life in a positively impactful way, and that’s why I sit here before you deeply offended, by these defamatory claims. God bless.”
Gibson’s attorney Zambrano released the following comment, as supplied to StyleCaster: “If Derulo truly remained supportive of anyone following their dreams, he would acknowledge the pain and suffering he caused Emaza and aim to be a better person. He should be offended by these allegations, as should everyone, including his fans. Emaza is certainly offended by his dismissive attitude. The entire music industry is due for a #MeToo movement. This sort of conduct is pervasive but it takes brave people like Emaza to come out of the shadows and share their stories to finally bring an end to this shameful behavior.”
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, free and confidential help is available. Call the National Sexual Assault Hotline on 1-800-656-4673.
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