There appears to be some tension involving “Buss It” rapper Erica Banks and 1501 Certified Entertainment founder, Carl Crawford.
Late last month, Banks took to social media to announce she has seemingly parted ways with 1501 Certified Entertainment after joining the Houston-based label in 2019.
In addition to signing with 1501, Banks also finalized a deal with Warner Records two years ago. She released her 2022 studio album, Diary of the Flow Queen, via 1501 Entertainment under an exclusive license to Warner.
“I’m not with them anymore,” Banks wrote on Instagram in response to a fan suggesting the 24-year-old recording artist needed to leave Carl Crawford’s company in order to be more successful.
Then Erica Banks released the “Real Rap B#### (Poppin It)” single. That song features the Texas native rapping, “Don’t give a f### about that label, they see me/And they owe me some money, they greedy.”
Carl Crawford has reacted to Erica Banks’s recent comments and lyrics. While speaking with his followers on Instagram Live, Crawford addressed artists lashing out at their labels.
“It’s just part of the business,” Carl Crawford said. “I come from the sports world where one plus one equals two. In the music business, one plus one don’t equal two.”
Crawford added, “Erica’s not even making no money for me to take… I was just as surprised as y’all [were] to hear we’re greedy and stealing money. I’m still trying to figure that one out because last I checked we’re $500,000 in the hole with Warner. That’s all I know. So who owes who money?”
Additionally, Carl Crawford is involved in a legal battle with Grammy winner Megan Thee Stallion. After rising to international stardom, Megan reportedly requested to renegotiate her contract with 1501 Entertainment. The two sides have since been bogged down in pending lawsuits.
“The only reason why the one’s doing it is because the other one did it, so if the first one hadn’t took this route, the second wouldn’t have took this route,” said Crawford about Erica Banks and Megan Thee Stallion. “They only follow each other.”
