Drake and 21 Savage sued after using Vogue covers to promote new album

Drake and 21 Savage are facing legal trouble after using false Vogue covers to promote their album.

The rap artists released a joint project titled Her Loss on Friday (4 November). As part of their promotional campaign to create buzz for the release, both artists posted mocked-up images of them on the front cover of the fashion magazine.

“Me and my brother on newsstands tomorrow!!!” reads the caption on their collaborative Instagram post, uploaded on 30 October.

It continues: “Thanks @voguemagazine and Anna Wintour for the love and support on this historic moment.”

However, Vogue’s publishing company Condé Nast has accused the pair of using the magazine to drum up publicity for their music without their permission.

In documents filed to Manhattan federal court on Monday (7 November), the complaint reads: “All of this is false. And none of it has been authorised by Condé Nast.”

According to Reuters, Condé Nast claimed the defendants also created a counterfeit issue of Vogue that was distributed in major metropolitan areas, accompanied by posters whose layout mimicked Vogue's own.

As a result, Condé Nast claims the stunt caused “unmistakable” confusion among the public.

The Independent has reached out to a representative for 21 Savage for comment. A representative for Drake declined to comment.

As well as the false covers, the artists’ unusual press tour also included a teaser for a fake NPR Tiny Desk concert.

Also included in the publicity run was a fake interview with Howard Stern, and a fake performance on Saturday Night Live with Michael B Jordan as the host.

Since the album’s release, much of the discussion has related to lines rapped by Drake in the track “Circo Loco”, which have been interpreted to be about fellow artist Megan Thee Stallion.

The “Nice for What” rapper performs the lines: “This b**** lie ’bout getting shots but she still a stallion / She don’t even get the joke but she still smiling.”

Megan Thee Stallion responded on Twitter, condemning the artists for allegedly referring to her shooting in 2020.

“Stop using my shooting for clout b**** ass N****s!” she tweeted.

“Since when tf is it cool to joke abt women getting shot ! You n****s especially RAP N****S ARE LAME! Ready to boycott bout shoes and clothes but dog pile on a black woman when she say one of y’all homeboys abused her.”