WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court will not involve itself in a fight between rapper Eminem's former production company and Universal Music Group over downloads of the entertainer's songs and ringtones.

The high court refused on Monday to hear an appeal from Universal Music Group.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the contract of F.B.T. Productions LLC entitled Eminem and his producers to a 50-50 split with Universal for recordings licensed to digital distributors such as Apple Inc.'s iTunes.

The record label had paid F.B.T. and Eminem 12 percent of sales, the agreed-upon rate for physical albums.

F.B.T. discovered Eminem in 1995 before he signed in 1998 with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Records. Universal's Interscope Records distributes Aftermath recordings.