Former EVEN Executive Files Federal Lawsuit Alleging Discrimination, Retaliation, and Unpaid Wages

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Damien “DDOT” Washington, an industry executive and former Director of Business Development at direct-to-fan music platform EVEN, has filed a federal lawsuit against EVEN Labs and its CEO Enrique “Mag” Rodriguez, alleging a wide range of workplace violations.

In the complaint, Washington accuses the company of race and gender discrimination, retaliation, breach of contract, unpaid overtime, and intentionally misclassifying him as an independent contractor despite working full-time. He claims he played a major role in generating revenue and securing key partnerships for the company while regularly working more than 70 hours per week.

Washington alleges that despite his contributions, he was denied a promised promotion, stripped of commissions, and excluded from press recognition tied to his work. He also claims he was pushed out of key meetings and client relationships and ultimately terminated after raising concerns about what he described as unlawful business practices, including potential copyright violations and unethical deals.

The lawsuit further alleges that Washington was asked to carry out tasks unrelated to his role for personal interests and was subjected to threats involving unsafe actions. Billboard recently profiled EVEN’s newly appointed COO Lauren Wirtzer, who is also named in the lawsuit.

EVEN has quickly become a major platform in the music industry, allowing artists to sell music and exclusive content directly to fans. High-profile artists including J. Cole—who recently began rolling out his upcoming album The Fall Off through EVEN—along with JOJI, 21 Savage, LaRussell, and Brent Faiyaz, have all utilized the platform.

Washington is seeking back pay, unpaid overtime compensation, lost commissions, additional damages, and a jury trial. The lawsuit marks a significant legal challenge for one of the industry’s fastest-growing artist-focused platforms.

🚨 Trouble in Paradise at EVEN?

Right after https://t.co/yeWBB28G5h announced a partnership with Universal Music Group (UMG), the company is now facing a federal lawsuit from its former Director of Business Development, Damien “DDOT” Washington.

📑 What’s Being Alleged?… pic.twitter.com/bqWiGMoIHo

— Cousin Tino ™️ (@TINOISFUNNY) February 19, 2026