Megan Thee Stallion files lawsuit against label over “album” definition

Megan Thee Stallion has filed another lawsuit against her record label, 1501 Certified Entertainment, claiming the label is attempting to keep her locked into a contract by not acknowledging her recent ‘Something For Thee Hotties’ compilation as an album.

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On Friday (February 18), Megan – whose real name is Megan Pete – filed a complaint in Harris County District Court, “seeking a declaration that her album, ‘Something for Thee Hotties’ constituted an ‘Album’ as defined in the parties’ recording agreement”.

‘Something For Thee Hotties’ was released on October 29, 2021. According to the complaint, 1501 informed the rapper on January 5, over two months after the release of ‘Something For Thee Hotties’, that it did not consider it an “album” under her recording contract.

Notably, according to a source who spoke to Billboard, Megan would be legally required to release just one more album with 1501 if ‘Something For Thee Hotties’ was recognised as part of her contractual obligations.

“1501’s new position, taken months after the album’s release, is clearly a ruse in an effort to try to take further advantage of Pete, at great expense and not in good faith,” Megan’s lawyers write in the filing.

The argument from Megan’s attorneys is that 1501’s only requirement for something to be considered an “album” in their agreement with the rapper is that a release is over 45 minutes in length.

According to the filing, ‘Something For Thee Hotties’ – which includes previously released freestyles, her 2021 single ‘Thot Shit’, unreleased archival tracks, skits and more – has a total runtime of 45:02, and should therefore meet the definition of an album as per the contract agreements.

An attorney for 1501 has since denied the allegations in the lawsuit, telling Billboard that Megan’s contract gave the label oversight over what would count as an “album” for contractual purposes, and that they had informed her that ‘Something For Thee Hotties’ would not count towards her total ahead of its release.

“She can’t just deliver us an album that we did not approve and then claim it satisfies her recording contract,” lawyer Steven M. Zager commented. “It doesn’t, and the contract is pretty clear about that. I’ll be interested to hear what they have to say when they’re under oath.”

Megan’s new lawsuit acknowledges the “long and tortured history of disputes” between the rapper and 1501. It’s at least the third time Megan has filed legal proceedings against the label. In March of 2020, the rapper claimed the label was preventing her from releasing new music after she attempted to renegotiate parts of her contract, which the label refused.

At the time, Megan said she did not “understand some of the verbiage” when first signing to 1501. Days later, the rapper was granted a temporary restraining order against the label, and she released her ‘Suga’ EP (against the label’s wishes).

In August last year, Megan took 1501 to court again, claiming they were blocking the release of her remix of BTS’ song ‘Butter’. A judge sided with the rapper, permitting the track to be released shortly after the ruling was made.

Yesterday, 1501 CEO Carl Crawford shared on Instagram a headline about Megan filing a request to dismiss a lawsuit against the label. “Now tell em to run my bread dating all the way back from 2018,” he captioned it.

Megan hit back in a post of her own, pointing out that the headline relates to the previous lawsuit specifically related to the label preventing her from releasing music, which has since been resolved.

“We are most definitely STILL IN COURT and YOU STILL GETTING SUED BC YOU OWE ME MONEY,” the rapper wrote in the caption of the since-deleted post. “I AINT NEVER BEEN PAID FROM 1501 IN MY LIFE.”

In a separate Instagram story, she added: “This mf got my accomplishments in that bio and aint contributed to shit since 2018”.

“Not studio time, not a music video not a word of encouragement, shit not even a flight!!! But you trying to eat off me and pick with me online”.

Megan Thee Stallion responds to 1501 CEO Carl Crawford’s new Instagram post directed at her:

“We are most definitely STILL IN COURT and YOU STILL GETTING SUED BC YOU OWE ME MONEY!!! I AINT NEVER BEEN PAID FROM 1501 IN MY LIFE !” pic.twitter.com/hEqEO0ZIqS

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) February 22, 2022

The post Megan Thee Stallion files lawsuit against label over “album” definition appeared first on NME.