Ed Sheeran's cousin lashes out at singer after his label sues him: 'We're not even on talking terms'

BRISTOL, DENMARK: Pop star Ed Sheeran's cousin Jethro Sheeran opened up about the bitter family feud that has cropped up between the two in an interview with the Daily Mail, published on Sunday, December 15.

According to the publication, Jethro is the first cousin of Ed and nine years older than him. He claims to have been a key influence on the celeb as he formed his musical taste while starting as a singer-songwriter.

What caused the rift between Jethro and Ed Sheeran?

Jethro Sheeran told the Daily Mail that his cousin Ed Sheeran used to look up to him in his school days, as they spent the holidays together writing and recording his first track.

While both took up music as their profession, fortune favored Ed, 33, as he found global fame and was propelled into a multi-millionaire. On the other hand, 42-year-old Jethro continues to look for a chart-topper and was recently sued by Ed's record label, Warner Music, to stop using the celeb's name commercially.

Jethro and Ed recorded the track 'Raise Em Up' in 2010, which also featured in the 2013 movie 'All Stars'. When Jethro recorded a remix version of the song co-crediting Ed and featuring his face on the artwork, lawyers working for Warner Music threatened to take him to court unless he dropped the references to his cousin.

By re-releasing the track, Jethro hoped to raise funds to help his daughter, Skyla Rain Sheeran, who is also an aspiring singer, start her music career. Now, he blames his famous cousin for carrying out a personal vendetta using his label's lawyers.

What did Jethro Sheeran say of his brother Ed?

Speaking of his rift with his cousin, Jethro Sheeran told the publication, "I don't consider Ed to be family to me anymore. I love him because he is my blood and flesh but I don't need to know him anymore."

"Our relationship has broken down over music, I taught him, and we're now not even on talking terms," he elaborated. "He needs to apologize to me first but I don't think he ever will."

"I was ordered to drop (Ed's) name and image from our joint music which he had been using and I want to (use). He has made millions but I feel I was due some recompense and recognition through a verbal agreement we both had of three songs I had written and produced, and gave to him to take to his fan base. And I wanted to use them too but have been legally stopped from using his name or face. How ridiculous is that?"

Though Jethro said that he was "very disappointed and saddened by (Ed's) actions," he wished the star "the best of luck."

"I'm not a multi-millionaire like he is but I am doing OK financially. He wants fame, money, and success at all costs," he added, as he even jokingly referred to the star as "the devil."

He even dropped the hot take that he was a better rapper than his famous cousin.

"He's a good singer, but I rap better than he does and he's not legendary! He's not a Bob Marley or Bob Dylan, he's great but he's not a legend. It's not my style of music. I am not a fan. (But) he's relatable and people sing along to his songs. They are good but they are like nursery rhymes, they have no depth, and to me they are boring."