What was meant to be a little joke to promote their collaboration album just might cost Drake and 21 Savage.
According to The Guardian, the rappers have officially been sued by Vogue publisher Condé Nast for reportedly using the magazine’s name without permission to promote their “Her Loss” album.
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The Lawsuit
“All of this is false,” read the complaint filed by the organization in a Manhattan court on Monday (Nov. 7) evening. “And none of it has been authorized by Condé Nast.”
The promotional asset in question includes a fabricated magazine cover shared by both artists in the days counting down the release of their album, which debuted on last Friday, Nov. 4.
Marketing Campaign Gone Wrong
The magazine cover wasn’t the only form of marketing used by 21 Savage and Drake to promote their new project. In fact, they also confused fans with a near-exact replica of NPR’s Tiny Desk concert setup as well as an appearance (that never happened) with Howard Stern.
Thank you to @nprmusic @tinydesk for having the gang @Drake @21savage let’s go crazy 🔪🦉#HERLOSS pic.twitter.com/cBpG9SgARI
— OVO Sound (@OVOSound) November 2, 2022
While NPR played into the joke, requesting that they actually team up to make it happen, Condé Nast did not find the fake Vogue cover charming, to say the least.
Instead, they allege that the result of the campaign caused “unmistakable” confusion among the public, noting that some media outlets even reported that the pair were Vogue’s “new cover stars.”
The Request
At this time, the organization, which is also known as the Advance Magazine Publishers Inc., has requested a minimum of $4 million in damages or triple the profits from their “Her Loss” album and the “counterfeit” magazine.
A Final Resort
Furthermore, Condé Nast says that both Drake and 21 Savage left them with no other option than to file the suit since they have reportedly been trying to get in contact with them concerning the matter since Oct. 31.
“[The] defendants’ flippant disregard for Condé Nast’s rights have left it with no choice but to commence this action,” read the suit.