Since 2020, certified hottie and multi-hyphenate Megan Thee Stallion, has been at the forefront of legal troubles with her label, 1501 Certified Entertainment. In a now deleted Instagram post, Megan alleged that the Houston-based independent label has not once compensated her artistry “in her life.”

The label, owned and led by ex-Dodgers player Carl Crawford, are now countersuing the Houston rapper, whose real name is Megan Pete,  for being in breach of contract; only a couple weeks after Pete filed a lawsuit against them over what constitutes as an album in her contract, in reference to her 2021 project, “Something for Thee Hotties.”

Through the twists and turns of lawsuits and countersuits that have been filed, we now look back at circumstances that led us to how our favorite H-Town Hottie and 1501 began their legal entanglement.

Early 2018: Megan signs with 1501

In early 2018, long before “Tina Snow ” became a chart topper, she signed with 1501 Certified Entertainment, owned by Crawford and run by T. Farris. In a 2018 interview with Fader, Pete – who at the time was managed by a team of men – insisted that her team encouraged her candid image. When later asked, Petewould say she was “duped” into signing an unacceptable contract by Crawford, in which she only received 40% of her music revenue and 1501 remains with 60%, a departure from the 50/50 norm in record deals.

November 2018: Megan signs with 300 Entertainment

Announcing via Instagram, Pete confirmed her contract with 300 Entertainment, a subgroup of Warner Music Group, making her the first female rapper signed to the label. With this contract, her music would be marketed through 300 in partnership with 1501.

September 2019: Megan signs management deal with Roc Nation

On Sept. 13, 2019, in a now deleted Instagram post, Pete announced her management deal with Roc Nation, founded by Jay-Z. In a Fader article, Roc Nation confirmed the deal was solely management, and the rapper would release music with 300 Entertainment/1501 Certified Entertainment. On this same day, Rap-a-Lot CEO James Prince posted on Instagram a picture with Crawford, with a cryptic caption alluding to Pete’s Roc Nation deal.

March 1^st 2020: Megan’s Instagram Live

On an Instagram live, the rapper discussed contract disputes with 1501, stating the label is refusing to allow herto release new music as a result of the management deal with Roc Nation. She claimed after she expressed she wanted to renegotiate her contract, the label denied her request, consequently barring her from releasing music. “It all went left,” Pete declared.

March 2, 2020: Megan files first lawsuit against 1501.

As a result of 1501 blocking the release of her new music, Pete sued the label. A Texas Judge grants her a temporary restraining order which allows her to release her new record on March

6, 2020.

March 3, 2020: Crawford interview

In an interview with Billboard, Crawford denied all allegations made by Pete in contract dispute, maintaining innocence and claiming to not have anything to do with contract drafting.

March 6, 2020: “Suga” drops

Pete went on to release the EP “Suga,” featuring 2020 hit, “Savage,” amid ongoing legal battle with 1501.

August 2021: “Butter” ft. Megan Thee Stallion

Megan filed another suit against 1501 to allow the release of collaboration with KPOP phenomenon, BTS. The label allegedly blocked the drop of the version of the group’s song  “Butter”that featured  the rapper, and in court she claimed this could cause “irreparable damages” to her career. Pete won the suitand the people can now happily “sidestep, right-left” to the beat.

February 2022: Legal battle heats up again

The rapper once again sued 1501; this time over the definition of an album in her contract. The 2021 project “Something,” according to Pete, meets the definition of an album, being a 45 minute two second work, which will count toward meeting the requirements of her contract.

March 21, 2022: 1501 strikes back

1501 Certified Entertainment countersued the rapper, claiming that “Something” does not contractually meet the definition of an album. If 1501 wins the lawsuit, this means Megan would have to release two more albums as a prisoner – I mean artist – under their label. That same day, in a series of tweets, Megan expressed her thoughts on the whole ordeal, referring to her record label as “Greedy ass men.”