Why is Kendrick Lamar's former label TDE being sued for alleged s*xual misconduct? Lawsuit explored

Two women have recently sued Kendrick Lamar's former record label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) for alleged s*xual harassment and assault. Founded in 2004 by Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith, the label is best known for representing Lamar between 2005 and 2022. Its current flagship roster includes SZA, Doechii, Ab-Soul, ScHoolboy Q, and Jay Rock.

Presently, Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith is the CEO of the company, while his son, Anthony "Moosa" Tiffith Jr., and Terrence "Punch" Henderson are the two presidents.

According to Newsweek on January 31, two women (identified as Jane Does) lodged a lawsuit in the Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging that several TDE employees committed crimes like s*xual harassment, assault, and breach of contract against them. Furthermore, they claimed that the company's management turned a "blind eye" when they were made aware of the plaintiffs' problems.

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Exploring the lawsuit filed by two Jane Does against TDE

Exploring the lawsuit filed against TDE (Image via Getty)

According to the report by Newsweek, the lawsuit filed by the two Jane Does claims that a "pervasive culture of s*xual harassment" exists within Top Dawg Entertainment. It further alleges that "some of its highest-ranking executives" are part of the system.

As per the lawsuit, the first plaintiff (who started working in the company in 2019) accused CMO Brandon Tiffith of subjecting her to unwanted s*xual advances and s*xual battery. She also accused Anthony "Moosa" Tiffith Jr. of s*xual harassment. Finally, the woman sued the label for allegedly breaching a contract between herself and the president, by failing to compensate her for her services.

The second woman claimed to have been s*xually harassed multiple times by "TDE employees while on TDE property and under their control." She also alleged that she was introduced to underage drinking for the purpose of s*xual exploitation.

Attorney Shounak Dharap, partner at Arns Davis Law, is representing the two plaintiffs. In a statement to Newsweek, Dharap said:

"This lawsuit presents a glaring example of the systemic abuse and exploitation in the entertainment industry. Our clients trusted TDE to act with integrity and professionalism. Instead, their trust was betrayed in profoundly damaging ways. They're bringing this lawsuit because they refuse to be silenced, and because they intend to hold TDE accountable in court."

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Top Dawg Entertainment members made an appearance in Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us music video

Several Top Dawg Entertainment artists made an appearance in the music video for Kendrick Lamar's diss track Not Like Us. Released on July 4, 2024, the music video has already amassed over 215 million views on YouTube and is one of the most famous hits from the feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar.

In the video, several TDE members were seen lined up alongside K Dot. The scene included Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, Top Dawg, Anthony "Moosa" Tiffith Jr., Terrence "Punch" Henderson, and ScHoolboy Q.

Kendrick Lamar was first discovered by Anthony Tiffith when he was just 15 years old. A year later, he signed the rapper to his then-newly formed recording label, after Lamar had earned some fame for his viral mixtapes.

In August 2021, Lamar announced that he would be leaving Top Dawg Entertainment to dedicate more time to his own company, PGLang. Lamar's fifth studio album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, was his final work with Top Dawg Entertainment.

Upon release on May 13, 2022, the album was met with widespread acclaim from fans and critics. It also featured guest appearances from Blxst, Sampha, Summer Walker, Baby Keem, Sam Dew, Beth Gibbons, Tanna Leone, Kodak Black, Ghostface Killah, Taylour Paige, and Amanda Reifer.

The album went on to bag Best Rap Album along with seven other nominations at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.

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As of this writing, Top Dawg Entertainment representatives have not commented on the latest lawsuit.