Derulo Faces Trial Over 'Savage Love' Writing Credits as Producer Alleges He Was Shut Out

Jason Derulo appeared in Los Angeles federal court Wednesday as the dispute over composition rights for his 2020 hit intensifies

Pop star Jason Derulo took the stand in a Los Angeles federal courtroom on Wednesday as jurors reviewed a 2024 deposition video showing him performing vocal renditions of guitar and bass parts from his chart-topping single "Savage Love." The case marks the beginning of what is anticipated to be a two-week trial centered on songwriting attribution and royalty distribution.

Matthew Spatola, a Grammy-recognized guitarist and music producer, is pursuing legal action against Derulo seeking songwriting credit and royalties for his contributions to the track. According to Spatola's legal team, represented by attorney Thomas Werge, the producer crafted what he describes as the "critical pre-hook section" that immediately precedes the song's chorus, as well as the instrumental foundation for Derulo's rendition.

The Core Dispute

In his opening remarks, Werge presented a compelling technical argument to the jury of nine members. "He claimed to sing the guitar parts to Mr. Spatola. He claimed to sing the bassline he wanted him to play. But a big part of the problem for Mr. Derulo is that you cannot sing a guitar chord. The guitar has six strings, and a voice can only sing one note at a time," Werge stated.

Werge elaborated that Spatola contributed the instrumental framework during two sessions at Derulo's residential studio in April 2020, during the initial phase of pandemic-related lockdowns. The producer received $2,000 for his work but "never signed anything" surrendering his entitlements to writing credit or publishing income, Werge informed the court.

The original beat, titled "Laxed," originated from New Zealand-based artist Jawsh 685, whose real name is Joshua Christian Nanai. The instrumental track achieved viral status on TikTok in early 2020 and serves as the foundational element of Derulo's version.

Defense Argument

Derulo's counsel, Joshua Rosenberg, presented a contrasting narrative to the jury. He characterized his client as becoming "captivated" by Nanai's beat and investing substantial effort into developing his own iteration. Rosenberg stated that Derulo devoted approximately 60 hours across 10 intensive recording sessions with his longtime engineer and regular songwriting partners.

According to Rosenberg's account, Spatola participated in only six of those hours strictly as a session guitarist tasked with performing existing material. "Mr. Derulo gave Mr. Spatola a very simple assignment: Listen to the pre-existing music that Jawsh 685 composed on a synthesizer and play it on guitar," Rosenberg explained, emphasizing that Derulo verbally instructed Spatola regarding the desired musical elements.

The defense argued that current publishing credits reflect appropriate distribution. Nanai retained sole producer designation and received 50 percent of composition ownership. Derulo secured 25 percent, with co-lyricist Jacob Kasher Hindlin (JKash) receiving 20 percent and instrumentalist and mix engineer Paul Greiss allocated five percent.

Rosenberg contended that Nanai represented the "heartbeat" of the composition, having independently created the foundational beat, melody, harmony, and structural framework in his home recording facility. "The producer is the primary creator of the beat, the melody, the harmony, and the structure," Rosenberg asserted. He further argued that elevating Spatola's role would unfairly diminish Nanai's recognition.

Pattern of Conduct

Spatola's legal representation drew attention to statements from Derulo's 2023 memoir "Sing Your Name Out Loud," in which the artist acknowledged self-distributing his "Savage Love" version on social media prior to finalizing a formal agreement with Nanai. Werge suggested this demonstrated a troubling "pattern" of conduct wherein Derulo exploited emerging artists for personal advancement.

According to Derulo's written account, Nanai halted communication following Sony's decision to sign him as a solo recording artist under Columbia Records on April 27, 2020. Derulo detailed how his management discouraged the release, yet he proceeded independently. Sony subsequently issued multiple cease-and-desist notices in response.

In an excerpt read aloud in court, Derulo wrote: "Columbia went crazy trying to get it taken down. But at that point, 'Savage Love' was everywhere. There was no stopping the monster, and I couldn't have taken it down if I'd tried. I'll be real with you, though: I didn't try."

Werge characterized this sequence as demonstrating Derulo's willingness to proceed with distribution despite potential conflicts. "Jason Derulo thought he was successful and powerful enough that he could get away with simply taking [Spatola's] work for his own without saying anything," the attorney told jurors, emphasizing that evidence would demonstrate deliberate omission of Spatola's alleged contributions.

Witness Testimony Begins

Following opening statements, Spatola took the witness stand as the initial witness. He recounted beginning guitar instruction at age four while residing on Long Island. He described relocating to California after encountering a music school advertisement in Rolling Stone magazine.

Spatola testified to having performed with numerous established artists including T.I., Future, The Weeknd, Jessie J, and Kehlani. He explained his transition from live performance to production work, motivated by a desire to establish residential stability and begin raising a family. His production portfolio includes contributions to songs such as "Thug Love" and "Till The Wheels Fall Off" for artist A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie.

Derulo is anticipated to provide testimony during subsequent trial proceedings. Following the initial day of hearings, the artist declined to provide comments to media outlets.