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Tory Lanez‘s team pretended to be an employee of 300 Entertainment – Megan Thee Stallion‘s record label – to paint him in a favourable light, it’s been alleged.
According to Billboard, a source close to the shooting involving Lanez and Megan claims that Lanez’s team sent several emails to media outlets this month to “campaign press” on his behalf.
Lanez has denied firing four shots from outside his vehicle in the Hollywood Hills on the night of July 12, with two bullets hitting Megan’s feet [via The Guardian].
Additionally, the source also alleges that employees for Lanez crafted fake text message conversations between Megan and Lanez, which were then sent to various media outlets. A screenshot of an email, which Billboard said was sent to them from a different anonymous source, included what was reported as a fake email account for 300’s Head of Creative, Kevin Leong, that was allegedly created by Lanez’s team.
In the alleged email, a link to a report that claimed that Megan did not want to testify against Lanez was included.
300 Entertainment told Billboard: “In this day and age, digital security is of utmost importance. The email impersonation of our Head of Creative Kevin Leong, with the intent to disseminate false information has been brought to our attention and we are working diligently on Megan’s behalf to get to the bottom of the matter.”
A representative for Lanez “strongly denies” that he was the one sending the emails or doctoring fake text messages. “The only commentary which has been made on this topic was the creative output on the album,” the representative told the publication. “We are investigating who could be sending these false emails and intend to take action against them.”
NME has reached out to Lanez’s representatives for comment.
In a separate statement given to Variety last week, Megan’s attorney claimed Lanez’s representatives had launched a “smear campaign” in an effort to discredit the star’s claims. “We have been made aware of manipulated text messages and invented email accounts that have been disseminated to the media in a calculated attempt to peddle a false narrative about the events that occurred on July the 12,” said Alex Spiro. “A smear campaign can’t change the truth.”
According to the Billboard source, the alleged July 12 shooting happened after an argument between the two parties. The source claims: “[Lanez] was supposed to be dropping her off at home with her friend, and an argument ensued. He started calling her names. So she said she wanted to get out of the car. She got out of the car, walked away from the car, and at a short distance, he told her, ‘dance b—h’, pulled out a gun and shot [at] her four times. Two times hit her, one in each foot, and the other two missed her.”
Lanez has denied firing the shots, as heard in the lyrics for the opening track to his new album ‘Daystar’. “How the fuck you get shot in your foot, don’t hit no bones or tendons?” he raps on ‘Money Over Fallouts’. Elsewhere in the track’s lyrics, Lanez claims he’s being framed for the shooting: “Megan people trying to frame me for a shooting / But them boys ain’t clean enough” and “I see how they teaming up, watching and I’m calculating / Gotta keep it quiet, I can’t jeopardise the outcome waiting.”
The source also claimed to Billboard that Lanez apologised to Megan via text, saying: ‘I’m your friend. I love you. Please. I was just drunk. Call me. I wanna make this work.'”
According to the source, while Megan was in the midst of surgery to remove the bullets from her feet, Lanez contacted various members of her team and offered money as a way to make reparations.
“He starts calling other people around her, including her friends after she gets out of jail, because she was also taken in [for questioning] ’cause she was there, and [Tory] was offering money, saying he wants to make it right and wants to resolve this issue. He starts calling her day-to-day managers and said he wants to talk to her, reaches out to the security guard, all of that,” it is alleged.
Megan, meanwhile, claimed in an Instagram Live on July 27 that Lanez was the shooter.
The Los Angeles Sheriff Department confirmed that Lanez was arrested at 4.40am on July 12 and charged with possession of a concealed weapon. He was not arrested for discharging the firearm. He is currently out on bond after posting a $35,000 (£27,244) bail.
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