British rap group Bad Boy Chiller Crew have filed a legal claim against their record label in the High Court, saying they are owed almost £400,000.
The Bradford trio are known for their high-energy bassline anthems, and were nominated for a Brit Award for Best Group last year.
They say they had “no other option” but to take legal action against the House Anxiety label, which signed the group in 2020 and released their Full Week No Breaks mixtape that year.
In response, House Anxiety said they “absolutely deny these claims” and welcome the opportunity to “clarify these errors”.
Bad Boy Chiller Crew claims they were paid royalty statements by the label every six months, but only received the first one in October 2024.
The band say a “huge amount” was incorrectly deducted from that royalty statement, and did not include the £217,000 that House Anxiety received in a licensing deal with a subsidiary of major label Sony.
The claim says the group cannot accurately calculate how much they are owed until they receive a full set of accounts. But they believe it will amount to at least £400,000.
The group also stated that their contract with House Anxiety has ended.
They independently released a new single and an EP in June, but removed both from Spotify after House Anxiety complained that it was a breach of their contract.
In a statement to the BBC, Bad Boy Chiller Crew said: “Like all other bands, we don’t seek litigation, but when we’re faced with a label that we have to deal with for our fans. doesn’t let us perform our own music either. Pay us the royalties we’re owed from our own music, we felt we had no choice.”
Jamie Hudson, founder of House Anxiety, said: “We completely deny these claims and welcome the opportunity to clarify these errors.
“As an artist-friendly independent label, we’re incredibly proud of every element of Full Wack No Breaks and all the hard work that went into its campaign, and to allow BBCC to realize their dreams of being a major label artist. Step aside. No further comment will be made at this time.”
The full Wack No Breaks included the band’s breakthrough track 450.
The follow-up, Disrespectful, reached number two in the UK Albums Chart in 2022 under a licensing deal with Sony’s Relentless label.
The album included the top 10 single BMW, and the group also starred in their own ITV2 reality show in 2021.