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Kanye West sued by his record label for breach of contract

West, who signed with EMI in 2003, prevents him from retiring during his contract term.
Puff Daddy And Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour At Madison Square Garden
Kanye West performs in 2016.Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images file

Kanye West was sued by his record label on Thursday for alleged breach of contract after he claimed his deal was a form of "servitude."

Back in 2003, West signed a seven-year contract with EMI, which was extended in 2014. However, in late January, West filed a lawsuit in which he claimed that the contract violated his personal service terms because it lasted more than seven years without allowing him "one moment of freedom."

EMI fired back and denied that the rapper is not under a personal service contract and that his deal is governed by New York exclusively, in which no servitude law exists.

West is suing based on a California statue which limits personal service contracts to more than seven years.

In a statement, EMI responded by saying that West's attempt to use the California statue was a "flagrant attempt to forum shop."