Producers of the upcoming film Drake’s Homecoming: The Lost Footage could pursue legal action against Drake after the rapper publicly distanced himself from the project.
“Personally, I think he should honor his commitments,” producer Mark Berry says to the Los Angeles Times. “Bottom line is, you signed a contract. You got to honor it.”
The companies involved in the creation and promotion of Drake’s Homecoming concert and film are reportedly considering slapping Drake with a $15 million libel suit.
“I think he thought nothing was going to happen with the film,” Berry says. “It’s an issue of someone not honoring a contractual commitment to another person.”
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Drake reportedly signed a deal with concert promoters Serious Entertainment that included an agreement for the film. Serious Entertainment eventually inked a deal with James Prince’s Rap-A-Lot Records.
“In his contract, which was obtained by The Times, the rapper agreed to the concert’s filming and was paid a $15,000 cash fee and promised a 15% profit royalty for his participation in the project,” the LA Times reports. “Since the 2009 deal, Berry said Serious Entertainment has approached Drake and his label, Cash Money, on multiple occasions to see if he wanted to purchase back the footage, but both declined.”
On Twitter, Drakes says he and Prince don’t support the film.
“James Prince and I stand together on not supporting the Drake Homecoming footage in theatres. #protectingthefans,” Drake says on Twitter.
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Drake’s camp has maintained that quality is of the utmost of importance to them.
“Obviously Drake and OVO only put out music and video/film that is of the highest quality for their brand and what their fans have come to expect, and do not want any fans to buy into something that has not come from them,” a representative of the rapper told the Los Angeles Times.
Drake tweeted out a disclaimer to his fans yesterday.
“The Drake Homecoming film is not something OVO or Drake have any part in,” Drake says on his Twitter account. ”I feel it is my responsibility to inform and protect my fans.”
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The film still is scheduled for release Thursday (March 19), and producers say the tweet has helped gain visibility for the project.
“Not that he had to promote or market the movie; he could have kept his mouth shut,” Berry continues. “We’ve gotten more mileage with him sending out that tweet than anything.”
For additional Drake coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
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