Drake has been hit with a lawsuit over a documentary that is set to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday.
The Canadian rap star is an executive producer of Black Ice, which looks at the history of racism in hockey. Also named in the lawsuit, which was filed Friday in New York City, are Drake’s production partner Adel "Future" Nur and their company DreamCrew Entertainment – as well as executive producer LeBron James.
G. William Hunter, who is seeking at least $10 million U.S., alleged the filmmakers violated his exclusive rights to “develop a motion picture based on the highly valuable book entitled: Black Ice: The Lost History of the Colored Hockey League of the Maritimes, 1895-1925.”
Hunter claimed he bought the worldwide rights to adapt the book for a total of $265,000 U.S. from Canadian authors George Fosty and Darril Fosty.
According to the filing, Hunter made it clear during a Zoom meeting in 2020 that “this was a passion project of his, and he had no interest in selling his exclusive option or any portion of his rights.” But, in July 2021, Hunter read a CBC News article about Drake’s involvement in Black Ice, a feature documentary to be directed by Canada’s Hubert Davis.
Hunter alleges that the Fosty brothers told him a documentary was not the same as a motion picture – which he described in the lawsuit as “absurd.”
Reps for Drake have not commented on the lawsuit. None of the allegations have been tested in court.
Black Ice is also scheduled to be screened at the Calgary International Film Festival in October.