Megan Thee Stallion Is Reportedly Suing Her Record Label
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - OCTOBER 26: Megan Thee Stallion performs onstage during the Power 105.1's Powerhouse 2019 presented by AT&T at Prudential Center on October 26, 2019 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images for 105.1)
As we previously reported, Megan Thee Stallion recently went on Instagram Live and announced that she couldn’t release any new music because her first record label 1501 stopped her from doing so after she inquired about renegotiating her contract.
Megan Thee Stallion is reportedly now suing her record label, as gossip site TMZ reports. On Monday (Mar. 2), the Houston rapper filed a lawsuit against 1501 Certified Entertainment and its owner, Carl Crawford.
A Harris County district judge in Texas has granted Hot Girl Meg a temporary restraining order, which prevents 1501 from blocking the music that the “Hot Girl Summer” rapper is preparing to release on Friday (Mar. 6).
In the lawsuit, Megan detailed what she feels is unfair in her record contract. For example, Megan stated that her record deal states that 1501 Certified Entertainment receives 60% of her income that she earns from recording and that the remaining 40 % goes to her. However, Megan is responsible for paying the engineers, mixers, and any featured artists on her songs. Megan also claims that her live performances benefit 1501 more than they benefit her. According to Megan’s contract, all money from her touring and live performances are to be directly paid to 1501 Certified, and the label is supposed to inform Megan of what she’s owed. However, Megan claims that 1501 have provided incomplete and “purposefully and deceptively vague” accounting information.The rapper also claims that Crawford has been using his relationship with Rap-a-Lot Records founder J. Prince to intimidate people in the entertainment industry. Megan said that Crawford has pressured a producer to give him beats by asserting that J. Prince would be upset. She also claims, “[J.] Prince is notorious in the industry for strong-armed intimidation tactics, and the comment was taken as a physical threat of harm.”
Throughout 2019, many women in hip-hop befriended each other and also collaborated on many singles. Houston’s Megan Thee Stallion who was hip-hop’s 2019 buzziest newcomer embraced many of her peers and the energy just seemed to spread like a wildfire.
Hot Girl Meg also claims that she believes J. Prince has created an online smear campaign against her, including circulating a story about Megan getting arrested five years ago. Megan feels that the issues with her record label aren’t worth dealing with, especially when she only received a $10,000 signing advance. Hence the reason that she wants to renegotiate her contract. Megan is suing Crawford and 1501 Certified Entertainment for at least $1 million in damages. However, she’s not suing J. Prince. The temporary restraining order that was granted also prevents 1501 from attacking or abusing Megan Thee Stallion via social media. Megan’s lawyer, Richard Busch told TMZ, “We are very happy the Court granted our TRO and thrilled that the world should be able to now hear Megan’s new music on March 6. We will now proceed with the other claims set forth in the [lawsuit].”
Glennisha Morgan is a Detroit-bred multimedia journalist and writer. She writes about intersectionality, hip-hop, pop culture, queer issues, race, feminism, and her truth. Follow her on Twitter @GlennishaMorgan.