On Monday, “Thot Shit” rapper Megan Thee Stallion addressed the countersuit she’s currently facing at the hands of the label she’s currently signed to, 1501 Certified Entertainment.
Their claim is that her 2021 album, Something for Thee Hotties, doesn’t constitute a real album and therefore doesn’t meet the contractual obligations they agreed on. For context, back in February, Thee Stallion filed a petition for the project to be counted as an album under her recording agreement, according to Complex. When 1501 didn’t, Thee Stallion’s lawyers called the move an attempt to “tie [Megan Thee Stallion] down to release more albums under the Contract to the financial benefit of 1501.”
Now per the countersuit, the label says it considers Something for Thee Hotties as just a “compilation of older material ‘made up of 21 recordings and includes spoken interlude recordings on which MTS does not appear as well as several previously-released recordings.’” They also claim they are owed additional albums.
Complex has more:
The label claims the project contains 29 minutes of what it classifies as new material from Megan Thee Stallion, and that it “was described in the music press as a compilation record of archival materials and some new recordings.” If a judge declares Something does not count toward her deal, she would owe the label two more albums.
Megan’s attorney Brad Hancock answered Complex’s request for comment with the following: “This is yet another absurd attempt by 1501 to disregard Megan’s album and squeeze more money and more free work out of her for as long as possible. We will ask the court to protect Megan from this type of abuse.”
As news of the countersuit began to circulate, the “Hot Girl Summer” rapper took to Twitter to express her frustrations over the ongoing legal battle and specifically with the label’s founder Carl Crawford, saying in a tweet: “First the man over my label said I don’t make him any money … now he counter suing trying to keep me on his label because he wants to make more money lol if I ain’t making you no money why not just drop me?”
She later continued, “My lawyers asked him for an expense report (money 1501 supposedly has spent on ME)… why this grown ass man put his jewelry and chains on there… lord free me from this joke ass label. I choose not to say nothing back abt court and address shit online but im getting tired of being painted the BAD GUY 2/47 the last girl on 1501 mad at this man too[sic]!”
She later referred to Crawford as a pill-popper, adding that whatever money he’s seeking, he ought to do so from Kevin Liles, and not her. She further went on to allege that the label hasn’t paid her since 2019 before ending it with a promise to speak again in court.
Crawford eventually responded in part on Instagram saying: “Aye, ya’ll believe that bullshit if all y’all want to. Ion got Twitter fingers so I’m not about to type shit all day. But I promise everything said about me, about that matter is a lie. The truth will be out son enough. Defamation claim on the way!!”