Megan Thee Stallion closes out the year with yet another victory in court. A week after Tory Lanez was found guilty of charges connecting to a 2020 shooting involving the artist, the Houston rapper won an early battle against her label, 1501 Certified Entertainment. On Wednesday, Dec. 28, a Harris County, Texas, judge rejected the label’s request stating that her “Something for Thee Hotties” album does not qualify as an ‘album’ under her contract.
According to Rolling Stone, the motion was denied for the pre-trial ruling. This means the “Savage” rapper’s $1 million lawsuit against the label will likely go to trial. If successful, this means her contract will be fulfilled and she will be released from her obligations to the label.
Music executive and former major league baseball player Carl Crawford is the founder of 1501. Megan, born Megan Pete, signed to the label in 2018, which released her highly celebrated “Tina Snow” mixtape.
The label filed its motion on Sept. 14, stating that Something for Thee Hotties” did not meet the legal criteria of what is considered an “album. They claim it included previously available songs and “failed to follow the proper approval procedures.”
The “Good News” artist responded to their request on Dec. 19, insisting she deserves to defend herself in a trial. She believes she completely fulfilled the terms of her contract with “Something for Thee Hotties” and other album releases under the label.
The paperwork stated, “Pete should be allowed her day in court to present evidence and testimony to the jury demonstrating that she has done all that was required of her in the delivery and release of her albums.”
She maintains that used freestyles and skits used on the album’s were not previously published for distribution despite appearing on streaming platforms such as YouTube. She added that they were never made available to the public for sale. Her paperwork also states that the media conglomerate 300 Entertainment earned the right to manufacture, distribute, sell and transmit her albums through a deal she signed in 2018.
The H-Town hottie insists that 300 Entertainment informed 1501 of the album’s release months in advance, including providing a link for viewing three days before its release. She also argued that 1501 waited to object the album until two months after its release in October 2021.
Five months later in February 2022, the 27-year-old filed her initial suit against 1501, dating back to March 2020. She detailed their “tortured” relationship, arguing that “Something for Thee Hotties” constituted as an “album” according to her recording contract. The following month, 1501 countersued the “Hot Girl Summer,” claiming the rapper owed them “millions” in royalties from collaborations, endorsements and side sponsorships.
Megan amended her initial complaint in August following the release of her “Traumazine” album. In addition to the album, she claimed she satisfied her deal and asked for $1 million in damages. But this isn’t her first dispute against the label she’s preparing to break away from.
In March 2020, Megan accused Crawford’s 1501 of not letting her drop new music due to renegotiating the terms of her contract. In a video from her Instagram Live, she explained that she signed the contract when she was 20-year-old, noting, “I didn’t know everything that was in that contract.”
She claims the label also took issue with her signing a management deal with Roc Nation in 2019.
“I’m not mad at 1501,” said Megan. “I was upset cause I’m thinking in my head, ‘Oh well everybody cool we all family its cool, its nice. Let me just ask these n—- to renegotiate my contract. Soon as I said, ‘I want to renegotiate my contract, everything went left. She said, “It just all went bad. Now they telling a b—- she can’t drop no new music.”
At the time, she insisted she did not intend to leave the label or not pay those who felt “entitled to” earnings for their work.
Crawford denied all her claims, as previously reported. However, a judge allowed Megan to release her infamous “Suga” EP and granted her a temporary restraining order against Crawford and 1501.
