It looks like Yo Gotti‘s artist GloRilla might have a upcoming legal battle over her breakout single “F.N.F. (Let’s Go).” The track produced by Grammy-nominated musician Hitkidd climbed its way to the top of Billboard charts, reaching mainstream status. The song and video of Glo and her friends twerking through traffic led to a record deal with Gotti’s Collective Music Group in July. But in a since-deleted rant on Twitter, Hitkidd accused the label of attempting to take ownership of the song after its success.
“So basically these folks are trying to take me to court over ‘FNF’ because they want to OWN the song, BUT they want to own the song to put it on this EP which both parties knew,” he tweeted. “So tell me how you gone PUT “FNF” in your contract without telling me, AFTER…”
GloRilla’s “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” won the Best Breakthrough Hip-Hop Award, which she accepted with her CMG family at the 2022 BET Hip Hop Awards. She recently picked up a nomination for for Favorite Female Hip-Hop Artist by the American Music Awards. Hitkidd alleges the fellow Memphis native signed a contract for the song without his knowledge. He claims she was warned about using lawyers from her label.
“I told you & your MANAGER everyday that we was in LA with Saweetie, that labels are going to try to sign you because of ‘FNF’ so watch out,” said the 27-year-old. “I also told you to let me know when labels reach out so we can be on the same page, but you still went and signed my song without telling me.”
“I did my best to protect you and the girls. This is only a portion of what I’ve been through,” Hitkidd explained. “I’m bringing light to this before word get out like I’m the bad guy. I’m a stand up guy and I stand on business and morals.”
In another tweet, he called out Jenn Essiembre, vice president of Publishing at 300 Entertainment, for claiming he was signed to their label when he was not.
“And Jenn from 300 ent lame too for telling her boss I was signed to them and I wasn’t,” he wrote, before adding: “Everybody mad cause I wouldn’t sign to them.”
Once GloRilla caught wind of HitKidd’s tweets, she responded on her personal Facebook page. “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” was released by Blacks Noize! Recordings in partnership with Big Machine Label Group. The young rapper is the first signed artist from a mob of female rappers in Memphis. She alleges HitKidd was upset she wouldn’t sign with Blacks Noize!, therefore he signed away ownership.
“N— been salty every since ian sign to Dey label to be a group for $0 smh,” she wrote in her first post. “One more thing before I log out. N— you signed da song away the first week (without me knowing) for 50K because you didn’t know how big it was gone be! Should I keep going????” she said in another.
One fan in the comments hinted GloRilla had more to “tell.” She replied, “Girl he ain’t gone say alot of stuff I can’t believe he on here tryna play me knowing all da f— s— he been on dis year.”
In another post, the 23-year-old said, “N— done made so much money from ‘FNF’ & I haven’t made not 1 red cent (other than shows ) but I’m stilll prospering cause guess what ??? I CAN RAP IN REAL LIFE & ain’t no mf 1 hit wonder !!!! I WROTE EVERY SINGLE LYRIC IN EVERY SINGLE SONG I EVER PUT OUT.”
The “Blessed” artist said she still has love for HitKidd since they both “came up” in Memphis, Tennessee. But she disapproves of how he’s “been going behind my back” since the song blew up. “I just hate da fact he had to bring da business to social media when I could’ve BEEN came out about the snake s— he been doing to me,” GloRilla added.
She continued in the comments, “How tf I put ‘FNF’ in my contract if it was already signed to yo label (blac noize) ???? Y’all believe anything. GOD DON’T BLESS NO MESS DATS WHAT YOU GET FOR HAVING BAD INTENTIONS INA FIRST PLACE.”
Kadeem Phillips, Hitkidd’s business partner and CEO of Power Entertainment, also weighed in on their dispute. In a since-deleted Facebook post, he said Hitkidd did “great business” by giving up 50 percent of the masters and 50 percent of the publishing for “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)’ to GloRilla. He expressed that they tried to warn her about moments like this in the music industry.
“We actually did everything to protect Glo from the industry and herself. Honestly, Glo independently collects the money for ‘FNF.’ It’s all hers she just doesn’t own the song and never will,” he explained. “We actually saved her from losing millions and Glo was able to get a deal without having to sell her independent record. ‘FNF’ was created to help all the girls not CMG.”
Phillips then accused Gotti’s label of possibly withholding funds for for “F.N.F. (Let’s Go).” He said HitKidd’s deal was to keep the ownership, distribute and market the song “so that Glo as well as the other girls could be successful.” The post shifted gears toward the end referring to Gotti as a “so-called industry leader.”
The fellow Memphian accused the label owner of controlling the music scene in his hometown “for his own gain.” “Why does everything from Memphis need to go through CMG? Why does Gotti have to take credit for everything?” he asked. “Even Michael Jordan had to make room for Kobe Bryant.”
After the back and forth, Gorilla gave fans another update on Instagram Live, captured by The Shade Room. She praised HitKidd as a “great producer” who does “f— s—.”
The “Tomorrow” artist recalls him demanding between $100,000 and $500,000 for the song after labels began showing interest. She said she requested for HitKidd “to come with her” when she signed with the label and denied using CMG lawyers.
“He saying, I used CMG lawyer. My lawyer is not a CMG lawyer,” GloRilla clarified. “He was trying to get me to use his lawyer though. He was like ‘use my lawyer, use my lawyer.'”
Hours later, the outlet picked up HitKidd’s final attempt “to clear things up” in a lengthy written response. He explained that he offered to sign the girls to his label to remain involved in their careers as new artists.
He said, “I told them I didn’t have any money to sign them but would take care of them until I really had the funds. My initial plan was to turn them up and help them get signed. So truly, I’m not salty about nobody signing to anyone. (This about me offering $0.)”
The “NDA” producer shared he hasn’t made any money from “F..N.F.” and will only collect his portion from royalties as owner.
“I put her as a primary artist in ‘FNF’ because it would help her. I was wrong to not have mentioned before hand that I was doing a distribution deal for the ALBUM (that we all agree to do), that ‘FNF’ is a part of, but nevertheless I told her about the 50K advance. Which I don’t owe any of the girls but I was going to break bread after the project just because. I have ownership of the song so I can do whatever with the song.”
HitKidd claims he “put the girls on game” by sharing his knowledge of the industry and taking them to meetings with labels. He said he told GoRilla it would be a “conflict of interest” to use his lawyer and that it was her choice.
“If I didn’t say something first, her label would of made me look crazy,” he continued. “All respect will still be given to every party involved because I want to see everyone prosper, so I won’t ever speak publicly on this situation anymore, but I ain’t bending over for NOBODY.”
