Music

Megan Thee Stallion's Legal Battle With Label Over Definition of 'Album' Headed to Jury Trial

Megan Thee Stallion’s legal battle with her record label 1501 Certified Entertainment is heading to a jury trial after a Houston judge sided with her.

Megan Thee Stallion poses backstage at 'Fallon'
Image via Getty/NBC
Getty

Megan Thee Stallion’s legal battle with her record label 1501 Certified Entertainment is heading to a jury trial after a Houston judge sided with her, Billboard reports.

1501 asked Houston judge Robert Schaffer to decide the dispute between the two parties, in which Megan claimed 1501 refused to acknowledge 2021's Something for Thee Hotties as an album so it wouldn't fulfill her contract, back in September. Her label has argued that her contract does not meet the definition of an “album,” but Megan’s lawyers have stated that the case should be decided by a jury rather than just the judge. Schaffer sided with Megan’s legal team, and her $1 million lawsuit will proceed to trial. Schaffer wrote that he was “of the opinion that the motion should be and hereby is denied in its entirety.” A trial date has not yet been set.

Meg’s legal team has not commented on the ruling, but 1501’s team said that the ruling has not resolved the dispute. “There is no amount of discovery that will change the answer to that question,” 1501’s lawyers wrote in the motion filed in September. “The court can compare the recording to the contractual requirements for an album and determine that ‘Something for Thee Hotties’ is not an album as a matter of law.”

In a response, Meg’s legal team said that she should be allowed her day in court. "Pete should be allowed her day in court to present evidence and testimony to the jury demonstrating that she has done all that was required of her in the delivery and release of her albums,” her lawyers said.

Upon filing the lawsuit against the label, Meg claimed that they tricked her into signing a “unconscionable” record deal below industry standards in 2018. When she signed with Roc Nation for management the following year, she spoke with “real lawyers” he told her that the contract was “crazy.” In a complaint filed last summer, she additionally claimed that the label “systematically failed” to pay her the appropriate royalties, too.

Related Stories

Rapper Yung Joc attends Kali Toxic Chocolate Album Release Party at Aura Lounge
music

Yung Joc Shaves Head After Betting Tory Lanez Would Be Found Not Guilty

Yung Joc shaved his head after he made a bet that Tory Lanez would be found not guilty of shooting Megan Thee Stallion. Lanez now faces over 20 years in prison.

Joe Price1224 days ago
Megan Thee Stallion and Tory Lanez are seen in separate spliced photos
music

Megan Thee Stallion and Tory Lanez Shooting Trial: Everything That's Happened

The trial centered on the shooting in which Tory wounded Megan began this month and ended with a guilty verdict. Here's what all has happened so far.

Trace William Cowen1229 days ago
Tory Lanez attends Sorry For What Event
music

Tory Lanez Found Guilty in Megan Thee Stallion Shooting Case, Taken Into Custody

Tory Lanez was hit with three charges in connection to the 2020 incident. The 30-year-old, who is now facing over 20 years behind bars, was taken into custody.

Joshua Espinoza1229 days ago

Stay ahead on Exclusives

Download the Complex App