Something has been brewing with Kanye West lately, and he’s been taking it out on prior business relationships. First Roc-A-Fella Records, then EMI and now, Island Def Jam and Bravado Merchandising are being sued by West for an undisclosed amount to “free” him from his contractual agreements with both entities.
West wants an order from a judge to make him “free and clear of obligations” owed to Island Def Jam, who’s held the hip-hop artist under contract for 17 years, and claims both companies have been exploiting “one of the world’s most iconic, multi-faceted, and productive talents.”
According to The Blast, the firmly worded document states, “Even if the contracts were not unfair, even if their terms valued Mr. West’s contributions in line with the breathtaking success he has achieved for these companies and even if the companies had not unpaid Mr. West what they owe him, he would be entitled to be set free from its bonds.”
Kanye is also demanding all of his master recordings back, and it is speculated, based on obtained documents, that that is the reason West hasn’t handed over his 9th studio album ‘Yandhi’ yet, although he has teased the album with multiple release dates.
West’s legal team claims, “At no point since the commencement of Mr. West’s services under the recording agreement and extensions in 2002 has he enjoyed any ‘moment of freedom’ that is, any moment during which he was freed from his obligations under the contract and able to offer his services to anyone else, take a break from his recording career, or even retire from it altogether.”
They also claim West is owed a “substantial amount” of money for his services but with no definitive value. In addition, they say Def Jam, “has unjustly earned millions of dollars by binding Mr. West’s recording talents to [Island Def Jam] for an unlawful term.”
What’s (or who’s) next, Kanye?
