The Game alleges that his 2022 album did not get the promotional muscle he was promised, and now he wants Universal Music Group to pay up.
The Compton rapper filed a lawsuit Wednesday, Sept. 30, against UMG and Virgin Music Group, accusing the companies of failing to spend a promised $500,000 marketing budget on Drillmatic – Heart vs. Mind, according to court documents.
The Game alleges that just $179,274.79 of the proposed budget was ultimately used. He claims the shortfall affected the album’s performance and left major parts of its rollout without the financial support he says was agreed upon.
Among the expenses at issue is a reported $125,000 set aside for radio promotion. The rapper claims the label spent nothing on that category.
He also alleges that $170,000 was supposed to cover music videos, outdoor advertising, international promotion, and digital marketing. The lawsuit claims the label spent only $88,000 on those efforts.
Now, four years after the album arrived, The Game is seeking roughly $500,000 in damages and reimbursement for his legal fees. His lawsuit accuses UMG and Virgin Music Group of breach of contract.
UMG and Virgin Music Group have denied violating any agreement with him, according to the filing.