Snoop Dogg sues beer firm over sale of brand

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-33059002

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US rapper Snoop Dogg is suing beer-maker Pabst Brewing, saying the firm owes him money from the sale of the company and its beer line last year.

In a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles, the rapper is seeking 10% of the net sales paid to Pabst for its Colt 45 malt beer line in the sale.

Snoop Dogg had signed a three-year deal to endorse the beer line in 2011.

Under his contract, he was to receive a portion of the sale of the brand if Pabst sold it before January 2016.

The sale of Pabst to beer entrepreneur Eugene Kashper and investment firm TSG Consumer Partners was finalised in November, but no purchase price was announced.

The rapper's lawyer, Alex Weingarten, however, states in the lawsuit that the beer company was sold for $700m (£455m), according to AP. The sale price of the beer, called Blast by Colt 45, was not disclosed.

Snoop Dogg, whose legal name is Calvin Broadus Jr, had a payment of $250,000 for the contract and received another $20,000 for every 10th mention he made of the beer on social media, TV or during a concert.

Pabst, the maker of beers like Old Milwaukee and Schlitz, said in a statement that it had not been contacted by the rapper or his representatives about the proceed claims.

"We are investigating the matter and would be happy to talk to Snoop or his representatives to try to get to the bottom of this," the Associated Press quoted the statement as saying.