Roc Nation: Jay Z countersues Rita Ora for $2.3m as X Factor judge demands label release

The war between Jay Z and Rita Ora over her contract at Roc Nation has reached a new level with the hip hop mogul reportedly countersuing the British singer. Ora initially filed a lawsuit demanding that she is released from the record label but Jay Z, 46, is now said to be suing her for $2.3m (£1.6m).

In her lawsuit, Ora, 25, reportedly accuses Roc Nation of neglecting her music career in favour of focusing on the sports branch of Jay Z's company. As part of her recording contract which was signed in 2008, Ora had been expected to release five albums under Roc Nation but she has so far only released one – 2012's ORA.

Responding to her lawsuit, Roc Nation claims to have invested $2.3m into marketing the singer's second album despite its no-show and wants its money back. According to the New York Post's Page Six, the label states in its documents that it has "tirelessly promoted [her] career, investing millions of dollars in marketing, recording and other costs, which was instrumental in guiding Ms Ora to her current level of success and fame".

Ora's lawyer Howard King says Jay Z has already agreed to release the I Will Never Let You Down singer from her contract so the lawsuit should be dismissed in due course. King said: "Jay Z has personally and graciously promised Rita complete freedom from Roc Nation, the details of which are now being finalised. We believe that Roc Nation's distributor, Sony Music, has required Roc Nation to file this action to preserve whatever rights Sony might have pending resolution."

Ora's debut album reached number one in the UK and features the singles How We Do (Party), R.I.P. and Radioactive. The X Factor judge has released a number of singles since the album's release, including the chart-topping I Will Never Let You Down, Body On Me featuring Chris Brown and Black Widow with Iggy Azalea.

Listen to Rita Ora's I Will Never Let You Down: