Megan Thee Stallion Sues Label (Again) Over Definition of “Album”

Megan Thee Stallion (born Megan Pete) has sued her label, 1501 Certified Entertainment, for the third time. In this go-around, the rapper is alleging that the label refuses to allow her to fulfill the terms of her contract by declaring that her last full-length, Something for Thee Hotties, doesn’t qualify as an album.

In the lawsuit filed on Friday (February 18th), Megan claims 1501 informed her two months after the release of Something for Thee Hotties that it didn’t meet the definition of an “Album” (per her recording agreement) and thus didn’t satisfy the contract’s “Minimum Recording Commitment.”

“1501’s new position, taken months after the album’s release, is clearly a ruse in an effort to try to take further advantage of Pete, at great expense and not in good faith,” Megan’s attorneys wrote in the filing, while also citing her “long and tortured history of disputes” with the label.

The definition is a key question in the rapper’s ongoing attempt to get out of her deal with 1501. According to Billboard, Megan would only be contractually obligated to release one more album on the label if Something for Thee Hotties is counted toward her total.

Something for Thee Hotties, which Megan released last November, compiles loose singles and B-sides. It’s composed entirely of original production, unlike the traditional definition of a mixtape where she would be rapping over other artists’ beats.

Megan argues that the only guideline defining an album under the terms of her contract is runtime. She said the contract defines an “Album” as being at least 45 minutes long; Something for Thee Hotties is 45 minutes and two seconds long.

The Houston rapper is seeking a non-monetary declaratory judgement that Something for Thee Hotties meets the definition of an album as well as coverage of attorney fees.

Steven M. Zager, an attorney for 1501, denies the allegations, claiming to Billboard that the label “told her from the very beginning this is not going to count toward your album count.” Zager added, “She can’t just deliver us an album that we did not approve and then claim it satisfies her recording contract.”

This kerfuffle is only the latest instance in a long-running conflict between Megan and 1501. Back in March 2020, Megan took to social media to allege that the label wasn’t allowing her to release new music because she requested to renegotiate her contract, which she signed when she was 20. She was granted a restraining order against the label, which allowed her to release her album Suga.

The lawsuit added to a public back-and-forth between 1501 CEO Carl Crawford and Megan that played out on social media on Tuesday (January 22nd). After Crawford bragged about the first lawsuit being dropped, Megan responded, “We are most definitely STILL IN COURT… YOU STILL GETTING SUED.”

On her Instagram Story, Megan added, “This mf got my accomplishments in that bio and ain’t contributed shit SINCE 2018… NOT STUDIO TIME, NOT A MUSIC VIDEO NOT A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT, shit not even a flight!!!”

Last August, Megan sued 1501 again for allegedly blocking her from releasing her remix of BTS’ “Butter” as scheduled. She was subsequently cleared to release it as planned.

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