Initially, when Drake and 21 Savage released a fake Vogue magazine to promote the release of their popular collaboration album, Her Loss, I thought it was a funny idea that would only increase the anticipation for the project, and it did. The album was wildly popular and for the most part, well-received.
But, their creative promotional tactic ended up backfiring.
Condé Nast, the owner of the magazine, sued the rappers for using Vogue’s name without their permission, claiming that their promotional campaign was built on the unauthorized use of the magazine’s trademarks and false claims that they were going to appear on the next cover.
Shortly after, a judge overseeing the case issued a temporary restraining order and “preliminary injunction” against the duo, making them take all and any images of the fake magazine cover down and stop any further distribution.
Now, nearly three months later, both sides in the case have agreed on a settlement in the case. According to Semafor, the publishing behemoth announced the news in an internal memo on Thursday, saying that they now have a “permanent injunction,” which prohibits the use of Vogue trademarks for monetary purposes.
The details of the agreement have not been specified, but the already profitable company did receive monetary compensation. While Drake and 21 had to pay up, they no longer have to deal with the consequences of using Vogue’s name to promote their album,
Leading up to the release of Her Loss, the rappers also led fans to believe they were appearing on a multitude of shows including NPR’s Tiny Desk, The Howard Stern Show, Saturday Night Live, and A COLORS SHOW.
While they were all convincing, every one of these appearances was parodies. They were funny and entertaining at the time, but I wonder if any of these shows will follow the lead of Condé Nast and take legal action against the pair of rappers.