The New Documentary That Drake Doesn’t Want You To See
Before he hit it big, Drake signed a contract he now regrets.
Across the globe this month, a new documentary by Rap-A-Lot Records centering around Drake’s 2009 Toronto show at Sound Academy will be in extremely limited release. The trailer for Drake’s Homecoming: The Lost Footage promises never before seen footage of some of Drizzy’s best live moments before he signed with major label Young Money.
But the film is stirring up as much controversy as it is ticket sales. The Monday before its theatrical release, Drake discredited the film and claimed that he had nothing to do with it by tweeting: “The Drake Homecoming film is not something OVO or Drake have any part in. I feel it is my responsibility to inform and protect my fans.”
One of the executive producers of the film, Jas Prince, son of CEO and founder of Rap-A-Lot Records James Prince, is involved in a lawsuit against Young Money Records and Drake’s management team. However, Drake himself is not involved in the lawsuit. The younger Prince claims that since he introduced Drake to Lil’ Wayne, he deserves a cut of the profits that have resulted from their business deal.
Maxim talked to Mark Berry from Attack Media Group, the company that represents Jas and James Prince. Berry claims that Drake’s rejection of the film isn’t because of that lawsuit, but actually because of financial reasons.
“He’s just digging in his heels now. Drake never thought anything was going to happen with the footage from that show. And now all of a sudden the world wants this movie, and he sees that and wants it back. Or he wants a higher piece of the profit,” remarks Berry. When the footage was filmed back in 2009, Drake was given $15,000 and was offered 15% of the profits as stated in a contract. That contract also stated that since the May 2009 concert in Toronto sold out, he would have to do another show, something that the rap star has yet to make good on.
“He signed a contract. My clients can do what they want with that footage,”says Berry. “My clients tried to sell the footage back to Drake a long time ago but he refused multiple times. And then I got into bed with Rap-A-Lot records, bought the footage and we put a deal together.”
But Berry says that Drake’s tweet against the movie could cost him. “This film is not an unauthorized biography like he’s claiming. It’s an authorized biography that he signed into willingly. If he’s interfering with my client’s contractual rights then he’s opening himself up to a lawsuit for sure.”
Photos by Getty Images
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