The Game is taking his label to court. His company, 100 Entertainment Inc., filed a lawsuit Wednesday (September 30) in California state court against Universal Music Group and Virgin Music Group, alleging breach of contract over the marketing of his 2022 album Drillmatic – Heart vs. Mind — and seeking at least $500,000 in damages.
The Claim: $179K Spent of $500K Promised
Per the suit, both sides signed off on a detailed $500,000 marketing and promotion budget just days before the album's release, with money set aside for music videos, digital ads, and overseas promotion — plus $125,000 specifically earmarked for radio. But 100 Entertainment claims only about a third of the budget was ever spent: $179,274.79, per HipHopWired's reading of the complaint, with none of the $125,000 in radio money touched. The company also says it paid out of pocket to keep the rollout on schedule, including promoting the music video for the album's single "Stupid" featuring Big Sean, and claims the promotional money UMG did spend was later recouped from The Game's royalties.
Why It Matters
Drillmatic dropped August 12, 2022 — a 30-track album with features from Lil Wayne, Ye, Rick Ross, Chris Brown, Meek Mill, A$AP Rocky, and Roddy Ricch — and debuted at No. 12 on the Billboard 200 with roughly 25,000 equivalent album units in its first week. The suit argues the album underperformed because it was, per the complaint, "deprived of nearly two-thirds of its bargained-for promotional support during the critical release cycle." UMG and Virgin have previously denied breaching the agreement, per Billboard's reporting. One more layer to watch: AllHipHop reports the filing comes as Priscilla Rainey pursues assets tied to her sexual battery award against the rapper.
Filed under The Wire, MixShow Prime's music industry news desk.
