Quality Control Music has responded to Offset‘s lawsuit regarding the rights to his solo career – and they’re looking for it to be dismissed.
According to a report from Radar Online on Monday (January 30), founders Kevin “Coach K” Lee and Pierre “Pee” Thomas are arguing that they own the Migos rapper’s solo music and that any agreement they’d previously made was breached when he talked about it on social media
Because Offset is not the owner of recordings he has made or continues to make with Motown on or after January 15, 2021, including the recordings ‘54321’ and ‘Code,’ [Offset] lack standing to bring this action,” QC said in its filing.
The label added that Offset breached the “confidentiality provision” in their original settlement agreement by disclosing “the terms of the Settlement Agreement in the Complaint and in social media posts, and by sharing the Settlement Agreement with various Universal Music Group executive.”
Offset’s lawsuit, which was filed in August of 2022, accuses QC of not honoring the aforementioned deal he made in January 2021 regarding his solo music. Set said he paid millions for the rights and therefore the label could no longer ask for a cut in anything he made – but it did just that when he released his Baby Keem-produced “54321” single after the deal.
“Offset now brings this action to vindicate his rights and make it clear to the world that Offset, not Quality Control, owns Offset’s music,” his lawsuit read.
Elsewhere in QC’s motion for dismissal, the label elaborated further on why it feels Offset has no merit to sue.
“Having continued to accept the benefits of working directly with Capitol (after Defendant assigned to Offset its rights under the Offset/Capital Agreement) in connection with the production of recordings as works for hire, and because, under the Label Deal Agreement, as amended, 100 percent of the copyright rights in recordings made by Offset as works for hire for Capitol are automatically assigned by Capitol to Quality Control, Plaintiffs are estopped from taking the position in this action that they are the owner of such recordings, rather than Capitol or its assignee, Quality Control
Shortly after Offset filed the suit last summer, Pee and QC signee Lil Baby appeared to send him a subliminal message on social media.
Pee took to his Instagram Story and had Lil Baby read off the message seen on a piece of artwork behind him. “The show must go on,” Baby repeated while Pee enjoyed a laugh.
Days earlier, Pee also responded to the suit directly. “The last lawsuit was filed publicly and dismissed quietly,” Pee wrote. “Let’s see how this one go. Been too real for all this lame shit. Everyone know the real problem.”
Offset replied saying he and Pee haven’t spoken in two years and feels as if QC isn’t honoring their deal after he paid them millions of dollars.
N-ggas act like im the problem I paid millions to get my rights back N-gga you black balled me I ain’t said Shìt one time homie I ain’t spoke to you in 2 years now I drop and you want ya name on my credit,” he responded.
Cardi B later entered the chat and defended her husband in an Instagram comment claiming Offset bought himself out of his deal with QC.
Offset bought himself out his QC deal after they didn’t wanna renegotiate his contract. I’m tired of people trying to make Offset look like the bad guy… ENOUGH IS ENOUGH,” she wrote.
The lawsuit remains ongoing.
