Aspire Music Group
Aspire Music Group, LLC is an American record label founded by Cortez Bryant, Gerald "Gee" Roberson and Derrick Lawrence in 2008. Their roster includes Canadian rapper Drake.
History[edit]
In 2008, Houston-based music executive Jas Prince discovered Drake and introduced him to Cortez Bryant, who served as Lil Wayne's manager together with Gerald "Gee" Roberson. Cortez, Robertson and partner Derrick Lawrence then signed Drake to a four-year exclusive management agreement through their companies Wash House Entertainment, LLC and Three Kings, LLC. However, they also established Aspire Music Group and inked an exclusive recording agreement with Drake, making them his management and record label. Shortly after, Aspire pitched Drake to their other management client Lil Wayne's record label Young Money Entertainment—a joint-venture with Cash Money Records—and entered into a four-album recording agreement. The agreement granted Aspire thirty-three percent (33%) of the profits, thirty-three percent (33%) of Drake's future master recordings (with the other two-thirds going to YMCMB) and a $400,000 advance for his first album, while Drake received a $900,000 recording fund.[1]
Legal issues[edit]
On July 23, 2012, Jas Prince filed a lawsuit against Aspire Music Group for not honoring an oral agreement that stated he would be paid 22% of Aspire's 33% share of Drake's recording profits, 22% of Aspire's 33% ownership share in Drake's master recordings and 5% of Drake's gross compensation derived from the management agreement.[1]
In April 2012, Drake retained counsel to renegotiate or terminate the recording agreement. In the breach of contract notice to Aspire and YMCMB, Drake's attorney claimed that Drake had fulfilled his recording obligations to the labels, not received any royalties, and there was a conflict of interest between the parties. Drake has since severed management ties with Cortez, Robertson and Lawrence, although he is still in an exclusive recording agreement with Aspire.[1]
Discography[edit]
- Drake - So Far Gone (EP)
- Drake - Thank Me Later
- Drake - Take Care
- Drake - Nothing Was The Same
- Drake - If Your Reading This It's Too Late
- Drake & Future - What A Time To Be Alive
- Drake - Views
- Drake - More Life
- Drake - Scary Hours
- Drake - Scorpion
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Youderian, Annie. "Drake's Discoverer Says Managers Stiffed Him". Entertainment Law Digest. Retrieved 2015-02-02.
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