The Houston Hottie claims her label 1501 Certified Entertainment, along with her distributor 300 Entertainment, made 'threatening and retaliatory' moves ahead of American Music Awards this weekend.
- Nov 15, 2022
AceShowbiz - Megan Thee Stallion won't let anyone screw up her shot at an American Music Award, including her label. It's now unveiled that the "Savage" raptress has been granted a restraining order against 1501 Certified Entertainment, along with her distributor 300 Entertainment.
According to documents obtained by TMZ Hip-Hop, the 27-year-old femcee, born Megan Jovon Ruth Pete, filed the restraining order claiming 1501 made "threatening and retaliatory" moves "to block or interfere with Pete exploiting, licensing, or publishing her music" in the lead-up to the upcoming AMAs on Sunday, November 20.
Filed in Harris County District Court in Texas, the order stated that Megan "provided evidence" that the company "recently engaged and will continue to engage in threatening and retaliatory behavior that will irreparably harm" her music career.
Without providing further detail on what 1501 or 300 allegedly did, the court noted that it filed an ex parte order, a type of emergency order granted without waiting for a response from the other side. It reasoned, "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."
It added that voting for the AMAs, where Megan is nominated for Favorite Female Hip-Hop artist against Cardi B, GloRilla, Latto (Mulatto) and Nicki Minaj, closes on Monday, November 14 at midnight. It also explained that Megan "will suffer irreparable harm if her music cannot be used in conjunction with her promotion for the AMAs."
Under the order, 1501, 300 and anyone acting "in concert or participation with" them are restricted from "preventing or blocking the use and exploitation" of Megan's music in promotional content for the AMAs, including by "threatening or otherwise attempting to intimidate or coerce" third parties not to use it, through November 20. It also sets a hearing on Megan's restraining order request for November 22.
The restraining order is just the latest legal move in a more than a two-year-old legal battle that began in 2020 when Megan filed a lawsuit alleging that 1501 founder Carl Crawford tricked her into signing an "unconscionable" record deal in 2018 that was well below industry standards. In the paperwork, the "WAP" spitter claimed that upon signing a management deal with Jay-Z's Roc Nation the following year, she got "real lawyers" who showed her that the 1501 agreement was "crazy."
In February, Megan filed a separate lawsuit claiming 1501 had refused to count her 2021 "Something for Thee Hotties" release as an album. 1501 quickly countersued, arguing that the album included just 29 minutes of original material and therefore didn't qualify.
In September, Megan submitted yet another lawsuit seeking more than $1 million in damages, claiming that 1501 "systematically failed" to pay her the proper amount of royalties she was owed and had "wrongfully allowed for excessive marketing and promotion charges," in addition to allegations that the label leaked her most recent album "Traumazine".
In response, attorneys for the label argued it was actually Megan who had failed to pay 1501 its fair share of money she made from endorsements, partnerships and other business deals, as well as requirements related to publishing royalties. They further added that any claims of underpayment of royalties should be redirected to 300 Entertainment.
