Drake and 21 Savage Sued for Millions Over Fake Vogue Cover
Drake and 21 Savage are being sued for millions for the fake Vogue cover the rap duo decided to use as part of their promotional rollout for their new album, Her Loss.
On Monday (Nov. 8), Vogue's parent company, Condé Nast, filed a hefty trademark infringement lawsuit with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against both Drake and 21 Savage, claiming that the rappers' unauthorized use of the famed fashion magazine to promote their new album, Her Loss, was "deliberately deceptive." Condé Nast is suing Drake, 21 Savage and Hiltzik Strategies, the PR firm for Drake, for $4 million in statutory damages.
According to court documents obtained by XXL, the New York-based publishing company is of the belief that Drizzy and 21's creation of "counterfeit" Vogue magazines, posters featuring the fake cover's image in major cities and social media posts including the design deceived more than 135 million people into thinking the campaign was real.
In order to further drive home their point that Drake and 21 Savage's tactic was a direct and intentional violation of their trademark, Condé Nast included that the tongue-in-cheek Her Loss rollout "deliberately mimicked the promotional activities" that are used prior to the release of each issue of Vogue. The lawsuit also cites specific instances in which media publications and social media users alike were falsely led to believe that the magazine cover was authorized by the company.
As a result, Vogue's parent publishing company is demanding that any and all physical copies or digital images of the fake cover featuring Drake and 21 Savage be destroyed. Additionally, despite Drake having given both Vogue and its Editor-in-Chief, Anna Wintour, a major shout-out when he unveiled the fake cover on Instagram on Oct. 30, Condé Nast says that neither party "have had no involvement in Her Loss or its promotion and have not endorsed it in any way."
"Me and my brother on newsstands tomorrow," wrote Drake in the Instagram post in question featuring the fake Vogue cover. "Thanks [Vogue magazine] and Anna Wintour for the love and support on this historic moment. Her Loss, Nov. 4."
Despite Condé Nast being the only company to bring forth their intentions to sue Drake and 21 Savage so far, the "counterfeit" Vogue cover wasn't the only spoof on popular media outlets used for promotion leading up to the release of Her Loss. Other rollout tactics included a fake interview with radio icon Howard Stern as well as a mock performance on NPR Music's Tiny Desk, which Tiny Desk immediately confirmed was not legit.
XXL has reached out to representatives for Condé Nast, Vogue, Drake and 21 Savage for official statements regarding the matter.