Megan Thee Stallion Granted Restraining Order Against Label Over American Music Awards
Megan Thee Stallion's legal battle with her label, 1501 Certified Entertainment, has taken another turn -- this time over the 2022 American Music Awards.
The rapper is among the nominees for Favorite Female Hip-Hop Artist, but, according to court documents obtained by ET, the "Savage" rapper had to file a restraining order against 1501, along with her distributor, 300 Entertainment, claiming 1501 "unlawfully" took steps "to block or interfere with Pete exploiting, licensing, or publishing her music" in the lead-up to the upcoming AMAs on Sunday.
In her petition, the "Plan B" rapper -- born Megan Pete -- claims that 1501 was attempting to "punish her for speaking out and being successful, and rob Pete of an opportunity to promote her music."
The petition specifies that 300 is "caught right in the middle of" Megan's dispute with 1501 and, although the distributor has the "unfettered right" to approve the use of the rapper's music for promotion, the label is "wrongfully objecting to 300 Entertainment's approval rights."
Megan was granted a temporary restraining order after she "provided evidence" that 1501 "recently engaged and will continue to engage in threatening and retaliatory behavior that will irreparably harm" her music career.
Filed in Harris County District Court in Texas, the order explains that the Court granted Megan's request for an "ex parte" order, which is a type of emergency order issued without waiting for a response from the other side. The order details that because AMAs voting ends on Nov. 14, Megan "will suffer irreparable harm if her music cannot be used in conjunction with her promotion for the AMAs."
The order doesn't include information on what 1501 or 300 specifically did to interfere with Megan's promotion via AMAs broadcast, but it states that 1501, 300 and anyone acting "in concert or participation with" them are restricted from "preventing or blocking the use and exploitation" of the rapper's music in the AMAs' promotional content -- especially by "threatening or otherwise attempting to intimidate or coerce" third parties not to use it -- through Nov. 20.
Per the document, a hearing was set for Nov. 22 for the rapper's ongoing restraining order request.
ET has reached out to representatives for Megan, 1501 and 300.
The temporary restraining order is only the latest in Megan's ongoing battle against her label. Last year, a judge ruled in the rapper's favor after she claimed that 1501 and CEO Carl Crawford were doing everything they could to stop her from putting out her remix with BTS, "Butter." Megan asked for emergency relief from the court to allow her new music to be released this week as previously scheduled, stressing the importance of dropping the track and how it would expand her international fan base.
In 2020, she sued 1501 for allegedly preventing her from releasing her EP, Suga, and was granted a temporary restraining order. Although the legal proceedings are ongoing, she remains under contract with 1501, with recordings continuing to be distributed by 300 Entertainment.
More recently, the 27-year-old's attorneys requested $1 million in relief from the record label in August. In court documents obtained by People, the filing claims that Megan's last two albums, Something for Thee Hotties and Traumazine, have fulfilled the requirements of her contract with 1501, which she has called "unconscionable."
"Over the past two (2) years, Pete and 1501 shared a long and tortured history of disputes with each other concerning Pete's recording agreement, including the unconscionability of the agreement in its original form, as well as disputes concerning the release of Pete's music," the complaint reads.
"The two have been able to resolve some of the disputes through the issuance of multiple temporary restraining orders against Defendants from this Court," Megan's attorneys added. "But a new dispute has arisen requiring further assistance from the Court."
According to the filing, 1501 is arguing that Something for Thee Hotties does not meet the definition of an "album" and thus, "does not satisfy her 'Minimum Recording Commitment.'"
1501 attorney Steven M. Zager told People that the label is "evaluating" whether Megan's recently dropped Traumazine qualifies for album criteria, but stated that there is "no way" Something for Thee Hotties meets the definition of album outlined in her 1501 contract. Zager asserted that the rapper still owes the label "one more album, at least."
"For a host of reasons, we feel that our position is justified and based on the contracts. We've tried to work with Megan, and we want Megan to be successful," Zager concluded.
Megan is also in the midst of her legal battle against rapper Tory Lanez. The Canadian was charged with felony assault last year for allegedly shooting Megan in the foot.
Tory pleaded not guilty to the charges and has previously said that "the truth will come out." He has been barred from speaking publicly about the case, which is set to go to trial on Nov. 28, and is currently under house arrest. He faces a maximum of 22 years and eight months in prison.
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