Lady Gaga sued by former mentor

It sounds like sour grapes, but the AP is reporting that Lady Gaga is being sued by her one-time mentor (and former boyfriend) after he claims the Grammy winner abandoned him as her fame grew.

Songwriter and music producer Rob Fusari filed a $30.5 million lawsuit Wednesday, claiming he helped launch Gaga’s career by co-writing some of her hits and creating her stage name.

“All business is personal,” said the lawsuit, which was filed in a Manhattan state court. Lady Gaga’s spokesman, Dave Tomberlin, didn’t respond to the AP’s e-mails.

Fusari, according to the suit, was introduced to Stefani Germanotta — Lady Gaga’s real name – in March 2006. After initially dismissing her, he remade the artist and co-wrote songs like “Paparazzi” and “Beautiful, Dirty, Rich,” which would appear on her debut album. The suit says he took the name Lady Gaga from Queen’s hit, “Radio Ga Ga.”

These cases often boil down to he-said/she-said, and more often than not are settled out of court. The creative process is a collaborative one, and it’s unlikely Fusari will receive the full amount that he’s seeking. But it’s probably in Gaga’s best interests to settle so that this does not drag on and interfere with her recently announced summer tour.