Dr. Luke Refutes Sony Firing Claim
An attorney for Dr. Luke has issued a statement refuting reports that Sony has fired the producer.
“This is not true,” the lawyer tells Rolling Stone. “Luke has an excellent relationship with Sony. His representatives are in regular contact with executives at the highest levels at Sony and this has never come up.”
A spokesperson for Sony declined to comment on the statement.
On Wednesday morning, The Wrap published a report attributed to “knowledgeable individuals” and sources claiming that the label “expected to end its working relationship with controversial producer Lukasz ‘Dr. Luke’ Gottwald a year ahead of his contract’s expiration.” Reps for Sony and Gottwald did not make themselves available to the outlet.
Sony has recently become the target of protests related to its association with the producer, whom Kesha has alleged drugged and sexually assaulted her. A New York judge ruled to uphold her contract with Dr. Luke’s label and Sony in February. Kesha fans who’ve launched a #FreeKesha campaign, asking for her contract to be nullified, are planning another protest outside Sony Music’s New York City headquarters on Friday at 2 p.m.
Gottwald has denied Kesha’s allegations and has countersued both Kesha and her lawyer for defamation. “I didn’t rape Kesha and I have never had sex with her,” Luke wrote in a series of tweets in February, following the court ruling. “Kesha and I were friends for many years and she was like my little sister. Kesha has denied under oath the horrible allegations now being made against me.”
Sony issued its own statement in February after Luke’s tweets. “Sony has made it possible for Kesha to record without any connection, involvement or interaction with Luke whatsoever, but Sony is not in a position to terminate the contractual relationship between Luke and Kesha,” a spokesperson said.