Subscribe
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Night 3 At Prada Mode Miami

Source: Astrid Stawiarz / Getty

Kanye West is going the litigious route these days after filing a third lawsuit, this time aimed partly at Island Def Jam, his label home for the past 17 years. West wants off the label and to obtain his master recordings, citing he’s being exploited by the entity.

The Blast reports:

The newest lawsuit, obtained by The Blast, focuses on Ye’s relationship with Bravado merchandising and Island Def Jam, and claims the companies have been exploiting “one of the world’s most iconic, multi-faceted, and productive talents.”

Kanye is officially seeking an order from a judge to make him “free and clear of obligations” owed to Island Def Jam, after having the hip-hop artist under contract for 17 years.

The strongly worded document explains, “Even if the contracts were not unfair (they are), even if their terms valued Mr. West’s contributions in line with the breathtaking success he has achieved for these companies (they do not) and even if the companies had not unpaid Mr. West what they owe him (they have), he would be entitled to be set free from its bonds.”

The “Flashing Lights” rapper also makes it clear he wants back all his master recordings. The contracts have apparently been so constricting that Kanye’s legal team claims, “At no point since the commencement of Mr. West’s services under the recording agreement and extensions in 2002 has he enjoyed any ‘moment of freedom’ that is, any moment during which he was freed from his obligations under the contract and able to offer his services to anyone else, take a break from his recording career, or even retire from it altogether.”

West is also suing Roc-A-Fella Records and EMI over past due monies and other related terms.

Photo: Getty