World renowned rappers Drake and 21 Savage have been sued $4 million by Vogue after using a fake magazine cover to promote their new album.
Approaching the release of their joint album Her Loss, images of the pair were posted on social media portraying themselves on a fake cover of the popular magazine with Drake writing in his Instagram caption, “Me and my brother on newsstands tomorrow!”
The doctored Vogue cover was not the only promotional stunt using Vogue’s name. The rapping duo used Vogue illicitly across “North America’s largest metropolitan areas” in the form of posters and leaflets.
An infringement lawsuit filed by Conde Nast, Vogue Publisher / Advance Magazine Publishers described the promotion as ‘deceptive’ and that Her Loss promotion was based ‘entirely’ on illegitimate Vogue branding. The fashion magazine is also alleging brand dilution and false advertising among other claims.
Despite the controversy of the promotion, it has still worked in Drake and 21’s favour with the album expected to battle Taylor Swift for the number 1 album spot. All could become worth the fiasco!
Vogue’s lawyers wrote, “all of this is false”, and ordered Drake and 21 Savage to stop all “counterfeit” cover usage as “none of it has been authorised by Conde Nast”. Drake and 21 contest that the use of Vogue branding was intended as a parody of fashion publications such as Vogue. In a court of law, this claim could save them and has been known to work in the past.
Is there any real damage to the superstar rappers? Her Loss was welcomed with critical and public acclaim showering the duo with immediate success upon its release. It is possible the lawsuit will soon be forgotten while the album shapes up to be a timeless classic.
To Drake and Savage, this lawsuit is only a minor blip in what has been a glittering career for the two rappers. Drake has sold 170 million records worldwide, Savage hailed as one of the best rappers in the world right now – a $4 million lawsuit is loose change and is unlikely to affect their reputation.
The lawsuit, while far from ideal for the Her Loss creators has only created more press attention and headlines for the pair’s new album. Could it turn out a blessing in disguise?
Whether Drake and 21 Savage did have a “flippant disregard”, in the words of Conde Nast, for the rights of Vogue or it was a genuine parody remains a question.
Words by Max Steventon
Header Image: Her Loss Album Cover
