Kanye West is locked in a legal battle with EMI to “obtain his freedom” from a music publishing giant.
The Grammy-winning producer and rapper is trying to break free from his music publishing contract with EMI, which actually forbids the 41-year-old rapper from retiring.
According to Essence Magazine, West filed a lawsuit against EMI back in January, and the company just hit back. While West’s contract was mostly redacted in the initial filing, EMI’s response has made the whole thing public online.
West’s current publishing contract states that he will “remain actively involved in writing, recording and producing Compositions and Major Label Albums, as Your principle occupation. At no time during the term will you seek to retire as a songwriter, recording artist or producer or take an extended hiatus during which you are not actively pursuing Your musical career in the same basic manner as You have pursued such career to date.”
While it seems ridiculous West can’t retire from making music when he wants, the ‘College Dropout’ rapper is hoping a California legal statute will help him get out of his publishing deal with EMI. In his lawsuit, West claims he’s been “laboring” for EMI since 2003, which puts him well beyond the seven-year service limit, but the company has, of course, argued otherwise.
41-year-old Kanye West is a father of 3, who remains in headlines for his outrageous perspectives. Releasing the track “I Love It” in late 2018, Grammy-winner West has remained creative working hard in the studio for an upcoming undisclosed project.
