The Game’s independent label has sued Universal Music Group and Virgin Music Group, alleging the companies left more than $320,000 of an agreed $500,000 marketing budget unspent for his 2022 album Drillmatic – Heart vs. Mindand hurt the record’s sales, streams and royalties.
100 Entertainment Inc. filed the breach-of-contract lawsuit September 30, 2026, in Los Angeles County Superior Court. The complaint says UMG and Virgin spent about $179,000 of the $500,000 recoupable marketing and promotion fund and seeks at least $500,000 in damages over the album’s alleged diminished commercial performance.
Under 100 Entertainment’s exclusive distribution agreement with Virgin, the companies had approved a marketing plan for Drillmatic ahead of its August 2022 release. The disputed $500,000 was a recoupable fund, meaning promotional expenses could be recovered under the terms of the distribution deal rather than functioning as a direct payment to the label.
The complaint says $125,000 was allocated for radio promotion, but none of that money was spent. It also alleges that UMG and Virgin passed on digital marketing opportunities and spent substantially less than budgeted on music videos during the album’s release cycle.
100 Entertainment claims it was forced to cover part of those costs itself. The label says it paid a “substantial portion” of the production expenses for the music video for “Stupid,” featuring Big Sean, and has not been reimbursed.
Drillmatic – Heart vs. Mind was released August 12, 2022, and debuted at No. 12 on the Billboard 200. The album remained on the chart for two weeks.
Attorney Michael Trauben argues in the complaint that withholding nearly two-thirds of the agreed promotional budget during the release window cost 100 Entertainment royalties, streaming revenue, sales income, and other revenue the album could have generated with the full marketing plan in place.
The label alleges those losses amount to at least $500,000, with the full amount to be determined through the litigation.
UMG and Virgin have denied breaching the distribution agreement in earlier legal communications with 100 Entertainment, according to the complaint.
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