Jay-Z sat in court to watch closing arguments yesterday (Nov. 9) in the breach of contract case brought against him by Parlux Fragrances.
Law 360 reports that the perfume company is seeking $68 million in damages, contrary to the previously reported $18 million.
Jay-Z claims the case was a misunderstanding made worse by dishonest middlemen. Parlux says the defense was “engaged in “smoke and mirrors distraction.” When Jay-Z couldn’t get what he wanted he disappeared and then destroyed evidence when they sued.
Additionally, Attorneys for the Roc Nation boss say the testimony of Rene Garcia, the liaison between Jay-Z and Parlux, is unreliable. They claim he was hiding information from both sides which led to the lawsuit in the first place.
They also claim Parlux breached the contract first and argue that it would be illogical for Jay-Z to want to damage the product’s reputation, the only one carrying his name. “Why on earth would Jay-Z put his name on one product and one product only … and want that product to fail?” Jay-Z counsel Alex Spiro asked.
Further, they claim Jay-Z is owed millions for a spin-off perfume that he did not approve.
The Case Against Jay-Z
Parlux says much of Hov’s case is a distraction from the central contract issues. They also focused on the court’s finding that Jay-Z destroyed email evidence.
Moreover, they say the music mogul failed to meet his promotional obligations and appearances. “The process says you cannot disprove and disappear,” Parlux counsel Anthony Viola said. “That’s what the defendants did.”
Parlux asked for an award of $67.6 million in damages. They claim if Jay-Z stuck to the contract, “Parlux would have had a runaway success and would have netted $67.6 million in net profits.”
The Jury was presumably pleased to hear the judge wrap things up for the day. One juror briefly fell asleep during Tuesday’s summations while a number of others violated courtroom rules. While the final witness was testifying, six jurors were caught using their cellphones, smartwatches, or a tablet in the courtroom.
This story is developing.