Atlanta rap star Young Thug known in private life as Jeffery Williams’ legal woes may be far from over. The rapper is now being sued by Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), a major player in the music industry, for allegedly striking a $16 million publishing deal in 2021 despite AEG’s claim to own his music rights.
AEG asserts that the rapper breached a 2017 agreement under which the company loaned him $5.25 million.
According to AEG, Young Thug defaulted on this loan and, as part of the agreement, forfeited the copyrights to his music publishing to them. Additionally, AEG claims the agreement granted them exclusive rights to promote his live shows.
The legal dispute intensified after Young Thug reportedly signed a deal with Kobalt Music in 2021. AEG alleges that Thug’s deal with Kobalt infringed upon their rights.
Although legal action was initially pursued, the case was paused following Young Thug’s 2022 arrest in a sweeping RICO case targeting his YSL collective.
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With the rapper out of jail, AEG has resumed their efforts to recover the original loan, interest, and any profits he earned through the Kobalt deal. This is not the first legal clash between AEG and Young Thug.
The company sued him in 2022 for nearly $6 million, accusing him of breaching the 2017 agreement by independently booking shows and pocketing substantial performance fees.
AEG also claims that some of Young Thug’s intellectual property rights were pledged as collateral in the 2017 deal.
They argue this entitles them to control portions of his publishing catalog, the Young Stoner Life brand, and even the Young Thug trademark.
