Legal professionals for Megan Thee Stallion are attempting to power Warner Music Group (WMG) to share info that they assume would reveal who leaked her newest album ‘Traumazine‘.
WMG owns the rapper’s distributor, 300 Leisure, and based on Stallion’s authorized submitting is “one of many few firms that obtained a duplicate of ‘Traumazine’ upfront of its formal launch”. Her authorized workforce, nevertheless, isn’t accusing WMG itself of the leak.
Stallion, whose actual identify is Megan Pete, requested her attorneys to file paperwork in a Houston courtroom final Monday (August 22). Based on paperwork seen by Billboard, attorneys informed a choose that Pete “doesn’t accuse WMG of deliberately releasing her album, however does imagine that receiving paperwork and communications from WMG associated to ‘Traumazine’ and its launch ought to assist uncover who improperly leaked her inventive work”.
On August 11, simply hours earlier than releasing her second album, Pete publicly addressed leaked music on her Twitter account. The leak, she wrote, included “[her] cowl artwork, items of [her] observe checklist and [her] even listening to part of a music [she hasn’t] dropped but”.
She continued: “We ALL know who the one ppl who had entry to all these PRIVATE hyperlinks are.” The rapper ended the message saying that she “would possibly as properly…lol,” and launched ‘Traumazine’ at 12 am ET the next day (Friday, August 12).
From my cowl artwork, items of my observe checklist and me even listening to part of a music I haven’t dropped but leaking (and we ALL know who the one ppl who had entry to all these PRIVATE hyperlinks are..) I’d as properly…lol
— TINA SNOW (@theestallion) August 11, 2022
The submitting additionally asks the choose to power web service suppliers Cablevision and Datacamp to launch info concerning the IP addresses that leaked ‘Traumazine’.
In an amended grievance filed in mid August, the rapper requested a Harris County choose to rule that her new album ‘Traumazine’ and final 12 months’s ‘One thing For Thee Hotties’ each represent “album[s]” as outlined in her settlement with 1501.
If profitable it will imply the rapper would have “happy all choice durations” in her 2018 contract with the label, releasing her from it. The amended grievance is the most recent in Megan’s prolonged authorized battle with 1501, and is an elevation of a lawsuit the rapper filed in opposition to her label earlier this 12 months.
In February, Pete filed a grievance in Harris County District Court docket, looking for a declaration that her 2021 launch ‘One thing For Thee Hotties’ constituted an album below the rapper’s contract with 1501 – one thing the label disagreed with following its launch. The next month, the label countersued Pete, arguing that ‘One thing For Thee Hotties’ was merely a compilation of beforehand launched materials.
Based on the rapper and her authorized workforce, 1501’s solely requirement for one thing to be thought-about an “album” of their contractual settlement with the rapper is that it’s over 45 minutes in size. ‘One thing For Thee Hotties’ – which incorporates beforehand launched freestyles, her 2021 single ‘Thot Shit’, unreleased archival tracks, skits and extra – has a complete runtime of 45:02.
1501 pushed again, arguing that their contract with Megan gave them oversight over what constituted an “album” for contractual functions, and that they’d informed her ‘One thing For Thee Hotties’ wouldn’t rely.
“She will’t simply ship us an album that we didn’t approve after which declare it satisfies her recording contract,” Steven M. Zager, an legal professional for 1501, informed Billboard in February.
The case continues.
In different information, Stallion carried out her set at Studying Pageant on Friday (August 26) and invited two teams of followers on stage to bop along with her – watch footage right here.