Chris Brown Sued by Songwriter Alleging Unpaid Royalties on Hit Songs Sensational and Monalisa Steve Chokpelle

R&B star Chris Brown is facing a new legal challenge after a songwriter filed a federal lawsuit alleging he was denied proper credit and compensation for two successful tracks, Sensational and Monalisa. The complaint, filed on February 4, 2026, claims the songs generated millions in revenue while the alleged lyricist received no royalties.

The plaintiff, Steve Chokpelle—professionally known as Muse—asserts that he wrote the lyrics for both tracks but was excluded from copyright ownership and revenue streams. The lawsuit names Chris Brown, fellow artist Sean Kingston, Sony Music Entertainment, and Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) as defendants.

Dispute centers on two chart-performing songs

According to the complaint, Steve Chokpelle wrote the lyrics for Monalisa during a 2020 studio session at Chris Brown’s home in Los Angeles. The song later became a commercial success, especially after a 2022 release involving Nigerian artists Lojay and Sarz, peaking at No. 8 on Billboard’s U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart. Despite its success, Steve Chokpelle claims he was never credited or compensated.

The lawsuit also focuses on Sensational, a track featured on Chris Brown’s 2023 album 11:11. The song topped Billboard’s Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart and crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100. Steve Chokpelle alleges that although he co-wrote the lyrics alongside producer Onyekachi “Krazytunez” Emenalo and is listed as a composer, he was deliberately omitted from copyright registration documents and received no share of the song’s revenue.

Claims of unjust enrichment and fraud

In the filing, Steve Chokpelle argues that the defendants were “unjustly enriched” by exploiting the songs without acknowledging his authorship or paying royalties. He claims the tracks delivered “millions in revenues, acclaim, accolades, and goodwill,” while he was left uncompensated.

The lawsuit seeks a court declaration recognizing Chokpelle as an author and co-copyright owner of both songs. It also demands at least $1 million in damages, along with a full accounting of all revenues earned from the tracks since their release.

Industry spotlight on songwriting credits

Royalty and credit disputes are not uncommon in the music industry, particularly as global hits generate revenue across streaming platforms, radio, and licensing deals. Songwriting credits determine long-term earnings, making omissions costly for contributors who rely on residual income.

Legal experts note that even when a writer is informally acknowledged during production, failure to properly register copyright ownership can lead to disputes like this one years later—especially when songs become commercial successes.

Responses pending as case unfolds

Representatives for Chris Brown, Sony Music Entertainment, and Universal Music Publishing Group have not publicly commented on the lawsuit. Sean Kingston, who is also named in the complaint, could not be reached for comment. The allegations remain unproven, and the case will proceed through federal court.

As the dispute unfolds, it adds another chapter to the ongoing conversation about transparency, credit, and compensation in the modern music business—particularly when hit records cross genres and global markets.