Who is Melvin Moore? Songwriter accuses Chloe Bailey and Columbia Records of exploiting his work in new lawsuit

Songwriter and producer Melvin Moore has sued Chloe Bailey and her labels Columbia Records, Parkwood Entertainment, and others accusing them of exploitation. Citing the lawsuit submitted on Thursday, February 20, 2025, Variety reported that Moore alleged deceptive business practices by the defendants.

The alleged practices included withholding credits and payments for Moore's work on Chloe Bailey's recent album Trouble In Paradise (2024). He claimed to have contributed to the songs Favorite, Same Lingerie, and Might as Well from the project.

The outlet, quoting the legal documents, wrote:

"In particular, the lyrics and narratives were derived from intimate and real-life situations, reflecting (Moore’s) relationships, emotions, and personal struggles."

Moore, who goes by the stage name OneInThe4Rest (a.k.a. 4Rest), is a Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer who has worked with artists like Usher, Chris Brown, John Legend, BTS, Kanye West, and Drake, among others.

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Melvin Moore's first major credit was on Trey Songz's 2011 hit Unusual

According to Melvin Moore's profile on All Music, he hails from Kansas City, Missouri. Growing up, he taught himself to learn piano and guitar. In 2008, the musician moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in production and songwriting.

In LA, he befriended Grammy award-winning producer Raphael Saadiq (of Tony! Toni! Toné! fame), who took him under his wing. Saadiq let Moore use his studio for free and even played mentor to the novice.

4Rest's first major writing credit was on Trey Songz's 2011 hit Unusual. In 2013, he worked with Robin Thicke on the latter's album Blurred Lines. He spent years penning tracks for big names in the industry, like Nicki Minaj, French Montana, Big Sean, and Tyga.

In 2015, Moore met R&B star Chris Brown, soon beginning a working relationship with the singer. The pair have collaborated on several tracks like Questions and Party. His recent credits include BTS's For Youth, Ty Dolla $ign's My Friends, and Trippie Redd & Bryson Tiller's Flowers. 4Rest has since gone on to forge his career as a recording artist. His debut single, Jiu Jitsu (2017), featured Brown.

According to his Instagram profile, he dabbles in alternative and soul genres. In a post shared on November 7, 2023, Moore noted that Stevie Wonder was his idol.

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More about the lawsuit against Chloe Bailey

Melvin Moore's lawsuit comes just a month after Tiffany Red, the founder of The 100 Percenters, a music creative advocacy group, announced representing the former musician. On January 14, 2025, the official Instagram account of Red's 100 Percenters shared a post criticizing Chloe Bailey for releasing songs "without (4Rest's) consent or payment."

Last week, the account shared a press release detailing the lawsuit against Bailey, Columbia Records, Parkwood Entertainment, Sony Music Entertainment, and others. The complaint filed in a New York court on Thursday accused the defendants of "copyright infringement," "fraudulent misrepresentation," "unjust enrichment," "civil conspiracy," and "violations of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)."

The suit further stated that 4Rest "did not grant consent to the commercial exploitation" of the three songs. It even labeled Chloe Bailey and her team as "modern-day swindlers," noting that they repeatedly failed to engage in Moore's attempts to amicably resolve the matter.

According to a report by Variety, Melvin Moore is seeking actual and statutory damages up to $150,000 per willful infringement and punitive damages of $5 million per song. Further, his reps issued a cease and desist letter demanding $10,000 and halting the commercial use of his songs until an arrangement has been reached.

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Neither Chloe Bailey nor the record labels have publicly commented on the development.