Drake, 21 Savage sued after phony Vogue cover: Can their earnings pay for the damages?

Drake and 21 Savage have received disappointing news.

Conde Nast, the publisher of Vogue magazine, is suing the hip-hop superstars for allegedly using the magazine’s name without permission in promoting their latest album, “Her Loss.”

According to TMZ, the rappers’ promotion campaign, which was broadcast to their combined 135 million social media followers, was primarily based on unauthorized use of the magazine’s trademarks and false representations that they would be appearing on the cover of Vogue next time, with the “love and support” of its longtime editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour.

In court documents obtained by TMZ, Conde Nast stated that none of this is true and that the publication does not authorize any of it.

They even claimed that Drake and 21 Savage created a bogus version of Vogue that was distributed in major cities and accompanied by posters that looked exactly like the layout of a real Vogue magazine.

It created “unmistakable” confusion among the general public, particularly media outlets that promoted both rappers as the newest Vogue cover stars.

Conde Nast is reportedly seeking at least $4 million in damages, four times the earnings from Drake and 21 Savage’s record and phony magazine cover.

They also demand punitive damages and the cancellation of the infringing trademark.

The fake Vogue covers were the first in a long campaign for their new album, including a fake Tiny Desk concert and a fake Howard Stern interview in which they discussed their adult movie tastes and other disgusting things.

A Rolling Stone journalist, however, was the first to dispel the rumor that Drake and 21 Savage were to appear in Vogue, tweeting:

“A street teamer just handed me a copy of this. it’s not a real magazine – it’s a photoshopped version of Vogue’s October issue with a bunch of promo art for 21 and Drake’s new album. pretty funny stunt.”

Would Drake and 21 Savage’s bank account be destroyed if they paid Conde Nast the $4 million in damages they seek, plus punitive and additional profits?

Aubrey Graham, the Canadian-born actor-rapper whose real name is Aubrey Graham, is worth $250 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. He is estimated to earn $70 million per year.

Meanwhile, Sheyla Bin Abraham-Joseph, aka 21 Savage, is worth $12 million.