THE PEOPLE YOU MEET ON THE WAY UP

While we do feel a bit sorry for Genard Parker, the producer who set Ashanti on the road to musical stardom when she was 16, we're a little uncertain about his legal action against her. Sure, it does seem - at least from his story - that she treated him quite shabbily once the sale started to ring up, but we're not sure there's a federal case here. His lawyer opened the action with the observation that "this case is about abandoning the people that help us succeed", but that's surely about character rather than cash, isn't it? And can you sue someone for having a weak character?

There is money involved, of course:

Parker agreed to release Ashanti from her contract with him when she signed her first record deal with the understanding that he could produce two songs on her first album and receive a $50,000 advance plus royalties.

Ashanti's lawyers respond that Parker never came forward until she'd had two huge-selling albums, which is a bit of a lame defence. Decisions are expected by the end of the week.

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