The rapper signed a new contract with Warner Music Group (WMG), as reported by Business Insider.
According to a press release, the agreement “will enable the Houston (TX) native to maintain her independence as a musician while also having access to the music company’s robust global services, ranging from radio promotion to marketing worldwide.”
The release further states that because of the “unique structure of the agreement,” Megan Thee Stallion will benefit from Warner Music’s distribution and resources while fully owning her master recordings and publishing rights.
In addition to releasing music through her independent music and entertainment company, Hot Girl Productions, she will work simultaneously with Warner Music Group and its international subsidiaries. Megan Thee Stallion also holds complete creative control of her music releases and can sign artists to her imprint under the WMG label.
Her music had been distributed by WMG’s 300 Entertainment subsidiary from 2018 until November 2023, according to Business Insider. As part of the new deal with WMG, Megan Thee Stallion will continue to be managed by Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label.
This deal follows the move by she and her former label, 1501 Certified Entertainment, to reach a settlement in October 2023. She had been in a legal battle with the label since 2020 over an “unconscionable” contract.
As previously reported by AFROTECH, Megan Thee Stallion had filed several lawsuits against 1501 with the backing of her management company, Roc Nation. She claimed the label owed her money for royalties she had missed, while 1501 claimed she owed them money for tour dates.
Besides claiming the label had tried to sabotage the release of her last album, “Traumazine,” Megan Thee Stallion’s lawyers stated in April 2023 that the label was draining its bank accounts ahead of a trial to avoid paying its debts to the rapper. “Traumazine” was reportedly the last album in her deal with the 1501 label since it lost a pretrial motion to rule that “Something for Thee Hotties” should not be construed as an album in 2021.
On Oct. 19, 2023, attorneys for the label told Billboard the rapper and independent record label “mutually reached a confidential settlement to resolve their legal differences” and would “amicably part ways.” The news unfolded shortly after Megan Thee Stallion commented on her Instagram Live that she was “so excited” to be working independently and was not interested in signing to a new label at the time.
Despite her legal battle with 1501, she is in an enviable spot as an artist — she essentially owns her entire career. Considering that Warner could never put her in the same position as 1501, she can act as her own gatekeeper. As Megan Thee Stallion moves into the next phase of her career, she has a ton of upward momentum behind her with the recent releases of singles “Cobra” and “Hiss.” It will be interesting to see the direction of her upcoming third studio album, which is currently developing.
“This is the beginning of an exciting new chapter of my life and career,” she told Business Insider. “I’m really focused on building an empire and growing as an entrepreneur, so I’m proud to take this next step in my journey and work with Max Lousada and the entire Warner Music Group team in this new capacity. I know we’re going to create history together.”
