As we reported last month, shit-hot Toronto, ON rapper Drake finally buckled down and chose a label, deciding to go with Lil Wayne's Young Money imprint. Now, we find out that there is some drama brewing over the signing.
According to Billboard.biz, Drake chose to sign with Young Money and have his work distributed through Universal Republic. But then Universal Motown began claiming Billboard chart entries should be credited to them, even though Drake says he doesn't want anything to do with Motown.
In the latest issue of The Fader, Drake is quoted as saying, "I went through Universal Republic because I don't fuck with Motown, at all."
Legend has it that Drake met with Motown president Sylvia Rhone two years ago about a deal, and was turned down. He later hooked up with Lil Wayne's crew, but the whole thing sparked a beef with Motown that he just can't shake. In Drake's track "Say What's Real," he even raps, "I've always been something that these labels can't buy / especially if they trying to take a piece of my soul / and Sylvia be telling 'Tez, 'Damn, Drake fly' / and he just be like, 'silly motherfucker, I know."
It gets more complicated because Drake's Universal Republic may not have been completely finalized before it was announced, meaning Motown might be able to swoop in and take control over his debut record, Thank Me Later, due later this year.
Either way, this is the kind of drama that causes album releases to get delayed, so we might not get Thank Me Later until later than we first thought. At least Drake will have his sitcom to fall back on for the time being.
According to Billboard.biz, Drake chose to sign with Young Money and have his work distributed through Universal Republic. But then Universal Motown began claiming Billboard chart entries should be credited to them, even though Drake says he doesn't want anything to do with Motown.
In the latest issue of The Fader, Drake is quoted as saying, "I went through Universal Republic because I don't fuck with Motown, at all."
Legend has it that Drake met with Motown president Sylvia Rhone two years ago about a deal, and was turned down. He later hooked up with Lil Wayne's crew, but the whole thing sparked a beef with Motown that he just can't shake. In Drake's track "Say What's Real," he even raps, "I've always been something that these labels can't buy / especially if they trying to take a piece of my soul / and Sylvia be telling 'Tez, 'Damn, Drake fly' / and he just be like, 'silly motherfucker, I know."
It gets more complicated because Drake's Universal Republic may not have been completely finalized before it was announced, meaning Motown might be able to swoop in and take control over his debut record, Thank Me Later, due later this year.
Either way, this is the kind of drama that causes album releases to get delayed, so we might not get Thank Me Later until later than we first thought. At least Drake will have his sitcom to fall back on for the time being.
