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American rapper Megan Thee Stallion has sought $1 million in damages from her record label, 1501 Certified Entertainment. The singer, who has been in a legal feud with the label since February, has demanded royalties for her 2021 release, Something for Thee Hotties. In her amended complaint, Megan Thee Stallion has alleged that 1501 owes her due to their “underpayment of royalties.”
The complaint also notes that the label “wrongfully [allowed] for excessive marketing and promotion charges to be deducted from amounts owed to Megan under the recording agreement.” Earlier in February, Megan had sued the label over disagreement about what constitutes an album.
Megan Thee Stallion's updated complaint also accuses 1501 of piracy, noting that Traumazine leaked shortly after the label was given a link to the project before its release. The company has, however, denied the claim, saying that a loss in Megan's earnings would also amount to the label’s loss.
J Prince supports 1501 label CEO Carl Crawford in lawsuit filed by Megan Thee Stallion
Now, Rap-A-Lot Records founder J Prince has come forward to speak in favor of 1501’s CEO Carl Crawford. He took to Instagram to criticize Megan Thee Staliion and her management company Roc Nation. Prince posted a photo of himself with Carl Crawford. In a statement, he noted:
“For years we have stood by quietly as MTS and her mgmt at Roc Nation has lied about Carl Crawford and his 1501 label. The truth is that Carl discovered, developed and fully financed MTS early in her career which led to a life changing distribution agreement for her with 300 Entertainment.”
He further noted:
“From 1501’s earliest agreement with Megan, long before MTS was a household name, 1501 generously agreed to give Megan 40% of its PROFITS which is substantially more than the customary record royalty that a new artist receives from a record label.”
He further wrote:
“Any attempt by MTS or RN to portray a contract that provides a new unknown artist with 40% of the label’s PROFITS as unconscionable or unfair is blatantly false and contrary to the customs or norms in the music industry. In fact, we have seen several RN contracts and RN pays its new artists a customary royalty that is significantly less than the 40% of PROFITS that 1501 agreed to pay Megan.”
Megan Thee Stallion says upcoming album Traumazine satisfies her deal with 1501
On August 22, Megan Thee Stallion asked a Texas judge to rule that her upcoming album Traumazine satisfies her deal with 1501 Certified Entertainment. Her amended lawsuit demands $1 million in damages from the Houston-based 1501 label. She has alleged that the label stalled her career and took advantage of her, which Prince has denied.
Megan’s lawyer earlier stated that "Something for Thee Hotties meets the definition of 'Album' under the recording agreement because it is not less than forty-five (45) minutes in length."
According to Megan's lawyers, a length of 45 minutes or more is the only requirement in Megan's contract to define what constitutes an album.
1501 Certified Entertainment had earlier sued the artist, noting that she owes them millions as part of their 2018 contract. The lawsuit claims that Something for Thee Hotties does not qualify as an album as it contains previously-released music.
If the judge were to rule in Megan’s favor, she would be free from her contractual obligations to 1501. The artist will be able to leave the label in compliance with the recording agreement she signed in 2018.
Steven Zager, a legal representative for 1501 Certified Entertainment, told Variety that the label is still determining if Traumazine could be deemed an album. Zager claimed that even if Traumazine were to qualify, Megan would owe them at least one more full body of work to fulfill her contract.
Past lawsuits by Megan Thee Stallion claimed label did not let her release new music
Megan has a history of lawsuits against her label 1501 and J Prince. Earlier in March 2020, the artist had filed a lawsuit, accusing 1501 Certified Entertainment and J. Prince of blocking her from releasing new music because she wanted to renegotiate what she believed was an unfair contract she signed at the onset of her career.
During an Instagram Live, the artist said:
“When I signed, I didn’t really know what was in my contract. I was young. I was like 20. I ain’t know everything that was in that contract. So when I got with Roc Nation, I got management — real management. I got real lawyers and they was like, ‘Did you know that this is in your contract?’”
Further explaining that she was not allowed to release new music, she said:
“It’s really just a greedy game. It’s really just real greedy. Wasn’t trying to leave the label. Wasn’t trying to not give nobody money that they feel like they entitled to. I just wanted to renegotiate some s-t.”
Crawford had denied the allegations at the time. Earlier in February this year, Megan Thee Stallion dropped those charges.
