Megan Thee Stallion has been struggling with her record label, 1501 Certified Entertainment, for two years and four lawsuits. In the most recent lawsuit from over the summer, Megan asked for $1 million in relief after fulfilling the terms of her (shady) 360 contract with the label. Megan alleged that they’ve never paid her, that they’ve tried to block release of new music, and that they are currently trying to discount her latest two albums in order to keep her on contract, from which they take profits from sectors that labels usually can’t touch. Now, Megan filed and was granted a restraining order against her label related to the American Music Awards this weekend.
Awards season can make or break an artist’s career, even one as established as Megan Thee Stallion—something the rapper evidently understands because she’s taking her label to court for getting in her way.
Megan (born Megan Pete) was recently granted a restraining order against her label, 1501 Certified Entertainment, and distributor, 300 Entertainment, after alleging that 1501 “unlawfully” attempted to “block or interfere with Pete exploiting, licensing, or publishing her music” in conjunction with the upcoming American Music Awards (airing November 20). Court documents obtained by Billboard claimed that Megan “will suffer irreparable harm if her music cannot be used in conjunction with her promotion for the AMAs.”
The documents do not go into detail about what 1501 allegedly did to block Megan from promoting her work, but it must have been serious as the court essentially granted her an emergency order “because there was not enough time to give notice to Defendants, hold a hearing, and issue a restraining order before the irreparable injury, loss, or damage would occur.”
This is just the latest installment in the rapper’s ongoing legal battle with 1501, which started back in 2020 when Megan alleged that the label’s founder had tricked her into signing a deal far below industry standards. This contract locked her into a three-album release, the definition of which became the subject of another lawsuit earlier this year. In August, Megan went to court yet again, this time over 1501’s alleged failure to pay the artist her due royalties.
I guess typically think of restraining orders in a physical interpersonal context, but this one is about actions taken by the label to block Megan from using her own music as part of her promotion for the AMAs. The AMAs are on Sunday, November 20, and Megan was nominated for Favorite Female Hip-Hop Artist. The documents don’t mention what the label did to prevent Megan from promoting her work, but the court must have found her claims credible because they granted her an emergency restraining order and the hearing is scheduled for November 22. The court seemed to agree with Megan’s claims that she would suffer irreparable harm if she was not allowed to use her music. As far as I can tell, it doesn’t look like Megan is performing at the AMAs, and I wonder if that was the issue. Either way, it’s good that she’s able to proceed, with her job, without the interference of her crap label. And hopefully the court’s actions here will lend credence to the claims in her other lawsuits about the label’s bad actions against Megan. I hope she wins her category and I hope Drake loses in every single one of his, even if those losses are to the likes of (ew) Jack Harlow and (ugh) Ed Sheeran.
photos credit: Yukitaka Amemiya/Bang Showbiz/Avalon, Carlos Elias Junior/Fotoarena/Avalon and via Instagram
I dont think she should have any qualifications before favorite artist. She’s my fave, and I wish her all the best.
I don’t really know Megan’s music (I am old ☹️) but every article I read about her makes me feel like she has had to fight tooth and nail – and against many obstacles – for her success. I’m glad she was successful in court and I really hope that she deals with much less b.s. going forward.
Same for me.
And me.
She seems like an amazing woman and if it takes someone as strong and influential as her to fight this (in a multi-year fight too), just imagine the horrors going on that we never hear about.
I knew of her, but learned more after she did a remix of “Butter” with BTS. She’s great and I now listen to her music regularly.
The label was also difficult about the remix though, but she won and could do it.
I know there was a lot of talk in the BTS fandom about the label being evil and what could be done to help support her.
Same, I only really ever heard of her when WAP came out, but everything I have read about her makes me angry on her behalf, as a black woman it so angers me how she is constantly treated by our own within the music industry. Sadly she is not the first but she has had the biggest platform I’m sure Foxxy, Kim, Mary and even Nicki have some stories, why are people si threatened by black women rising???
I am old too. And I love everything about Megan!!! She’s an incredible artist and a top-notch human being. I hate that she’s going through all of this crap, but I’m grateful to her for being so open and honest about it. She’s changing the script, and that will only make things incrementally better for the artists who follow in her footsteps.
I, too, am an old. The first time I actually saw Megan or heard her music was in She Hulk (and she was great, btw).
But I have also worked in senior care. My mother has worked with the elderly and was a hospice nurse for decades. So before I encountered her as an entertainer, I had enormous respect for her pursuing her education and getting her degree in administration, and read about her desire to open a facility. I have absolutely the highest respect and admiration for that.
I had no idea she had any strife with her record label but good Lord, has this woman been dealt more than her fair share of struggles. I hope she continues to persevere.
I have so much respect for her as a person and as an artist. She’s in it for the long haul and I hope she buries them. @Beenie- 💯 what you said about her music – I’m old, too!
Me too. It is not easy to be a female public figure so openly trying not to give in to terrorists. There will always be a special place in my heart for women like her.
Good for her… and I agree with Amy T wholeheartedly!
And this is why she was mocked and laughed at after the T Lanez incident.
They are trying to teach Meghan a lesson so that any other upcoming female artists don’t get any shady ideas – sadly the hip hop industry has form for treating female artists like this – just look at what they did to Kelis.
The women who stand up pay a high cost but hopefully are paving the way for future generations.
Well said.
It’s disgusting how she’s treated.
Will stream a few of her songs now, to give a bit of support (no matter how tiny, every bit of support helps, I think 🙂 ).
This is a great idea @FlowerLake! Technically, her music isn’t my style, but if I stream it for a bit, I can support her a little.
Last year I was cheering her on for sticking to a tough college program (while touring, etc) and earning a degree in nurse administration. She also created a couple of scholarships and was planning (I’m unsure if she has yet) opened up an assisted living place with the intention of hiring college grads so they could build a resume. She’s got such great vision and it’s hurtful how much more she needs to fight to earn her space.
Totally agree, ML.
She does great things for people.
Don’t know why some people want to drag her down so much.
She is such a classy person. Aside from everything else she’s been through, this type of abuse from her label must be so distressing to cope with and she’s just constantly professional in anything I see of her. I hope the ongoing case goes entirely her way, she seems to have a good head on her shoulders, I’d love to see more of her.
Stories like this make me so mad. I hope Drake loses, too. I don’t listen to her music but I’m rooting for her.
I’m really rooting for Megan. I hope she wins and the rest of her career is filled with less stress and all goodness. I am just amazed and awed at the amount of strength she has. Time to stream more of her music!
Traumazine is one of my top albums of the year!!! I don’t think it matters what your age is, just stream and give her a shot! I personally think of it like mental mobility or exercise, listening to music outside of your “usual” genres
Just watch her performance of Anxiety on SNL 🥺🥺 https://youtu.be/2-44oNTMZws
She is so talented. I like her music and I think she’s an amazing person, having come from poverty and losing her mom and grandmom who raised her, to get to the top of this industry AND earn a college degree, all while dealing with dirtbags like Trey Lorenz and the people at her label.
I wish her continued strength and success in all her battles and I hope she knows there are a lot of people rooting for her every step of the way.
I adore her and hope she gets what she gets through all of this nonsense quickly.
Life and the men in hers have not been kind to her.
Last week a beautiful and timely letter was written in support of Megan thee Stallion. The letter and the signatures are covered here, shared by the Southern Black Girls & Women’s Consortium:
https://www.complex.com/music/megan-thee-stallion-letter-denouncing-violence-against-women
It was a very lovely letter and it is great she is getting the support from other ladies.
This poor girl has had a rough couple of years with hardly any industry support. I for one am glad the internet was in her side against Drake and her label.
Megan is sure a fighter. I applaud her for so many things: her tenacity, her talent, her cool songs, her sense of humor, having that hot boyfriend (damn), always standing up for herself and the people she loves. Go, Megan. You are the best.