the industry Oct. 13, 2023

Megan Thee Stallion Is an Indie Hot Girl

Portrait of Justin Curto

By Justin Curto, who covers music, TV, and celebrity for Vulture

In the hood, she’s like Kate Bush. Photo: Catherine Powell/Getty Images for MTV

Megan Thee Stallion is going indie. The rapper revealed she has “no label right now” on an Instagram Live October 11, as she continues a legal fight against her former company, 1501 Certified Entertainment. “The next shit y’all about to see about to be all straight from Megan Thee Stallion, Megan Thee Stallion brain, Megan Thee Stallion wallet,” she said, revealing that she’s self-funding a new album. But that doesn’t mean the rapper is looking to sign anytime soon. “I’m so excited to be doing something for the first time independent, since it was just me and my mama,” she added. “I don’t wanna sign to a new label right now because … I just wanna do it myself.”

Megan has been in a drawn-out legal battle with Houston independent label 1501 since 2020 over missed payments and contractual obligations. Megan sued 1501 for $1 million in damages from royalties she claims she was never paid; 1501 has countered that Megan actually owes them money. Last year, a court ruled her 2021 mixtape Something for the Hotties would not be considered less than an album ahead of trial, meaning that, along with her 2022 album Traumazine, she had fulfilled her contract with 1501. Earlier this year, Megan’s lawyers claimed 1501 was draining its bank accounts to become “judgment-proof” and avoid eventually paying Megan for a final ruling. On her recent Instagram Live, Megan reiterated a claim that 1501 sabotaged Traumazine, saying the label told her the album was “going to hell.” Vulture has reached out to 1501 for comment. But let’s not lose sight of the good news here: New independent hot-girl shit soon?

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Megan Thee Stallion Is an Indie Hot Girl

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