Nas' Mass Appeal Faces Racial Discrimination Lawsuit From Former Employee

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Mass Appeal- 2014 SXSW Music, Film + Interactive
AUSTIN, TX - MARCH 14: Rapper Nas performs during the Mass Appeal Showcase during the 2014 SXSW Music, Film + Interactive at Austin Music Hall on March 14, 2014 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for SXSW)
A former employee for Mass Appeal says they faced “venomous and racist comments about ‘white folk’ and ‘crackers,’” during their time at the company.

Nas' Mass Appeal label is facing a racial discrimination lawsuit from the company's former head of development, Melissa Cooper. Cooper, who is white, says she dealt with “venomous and racist comments about ‘white folk’ and ‘crackers,’” during her tenure at the imprint. She filed the lawsuit in a Manhattan court on Tuesday, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Cooper recalled a time she and her co-workers were working on a Freaknik documentary that’s set to air on Hulu in 2024. She claims the senior vice president for partnerships and content acquisition, Jenya Meggs, who is Black, complained that Cooper made it into the final cut and she didn't. The woman allegedly texted an executive producer it was “usual white folk behavior.” Tensions apparently flared up between the two and Peter Bittenbender, the company’s chief executive, removed Cooper from the project.

Nas Celebrates 5 Years Of Mass Appeal

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 16: Nas performs at Mass Appeal Records' 5-Year Anniversary Celebration at Chelsea Music Hall on May 16, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

“Bittenbender removed Cooper from a number of projects, including Mass Appeal’s Hip Hop 50 Live concert at Yankee Stadium planned for August 11, 2023,” the lawsuit reads. “Cooper’s removal from this important project, along with others Meggs was staffed on, effectively stripped Cooper of her primary role at Mass Appeal.” She never mentions Nas by name and the company eventually let her go back in June. She says there hasn't been an investigation into her claims of racial discrimination.

The lawsuit comes as Nas prepares to release his long-awaited album, I Am… The Autobiography. The project is finally getting an official release for Record Store Day’s Black Friday lineup. The vinyl will include two unreleased tracks and feature special edition deluxe packaging. Other projects include De La Soul‘s 3 Feet High and RisingThree 6 Mafia‘s Da Unbreakables, and Goodie Mob‘s Soul Food. Be on the lookout for further updates on the lawsuit against Mass Appeal on HotNewHipHop.

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About The Author
Cole Blake is currently an Editor at HotNewHipHop based out of Brooklyn, New York. He began working at the site as an intern back in 2018 while studying journalism at St. John’s University. In the time since, he’s graduated with a bachelor's degree and written extensively about a wide range of topics including pop culture, film & television, politics, video games, sports, and much more. He’s also covered music festivals such as Gov. Ball and Rolling Loud. You can find him publishing work for HNHH from Monday to Wednesday or on weekends. On the sports front, Cole’s a passionate NBA and NFL fan with his favorite teams being the Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Lakers. He also roots for the Yankees whenever he finds himself at Yankee Stadium or the Red Storm when in the company of other SJU alumni. His favorite hip-hop artists are billy woods, Earl Sweatshirt, Cam’ron, MIKE, and Mach-Hommy.
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