Kanye West departed from Jay-Z’s streaming service Tidal due t a financial dispute, according to TMZ.
Kanye West has departed Jay-Z’s streaming service Tidal amid a financial feud, according to celebrity website TMZ.
Jay-Z, also known as Shawn Carter, just used Tidal—which he started with much fanfare with other A-list musicians —to promote his widely praised new album, “4: 44.”
West, however, has made his displeasure with the service known for at least a year. In a tweetstorm last August, the famously irascible rapper demanded that Apple “cut a check” to the platform, and was reportedly unhappy about how the platform handled the exclusive release of his 2016 effort, “The Life of Pablo.” West “has left the company over a money dispute and Tidal has threatened to sue him, ” TMZ reported on Sunday. Citing unnamed sources, the publication said “Kanye has complained the company owes him money—more than $3 million.”
Neither Tidal nor RocNation, which represents both Jay-Z and West, immediately responded to requests for comment from CNBC. According to TMZ, West’s lawyer sent two letters to Tidal during the past month saying “the company was in breach and the contract terminated.” The artist reportedly alleged the company did not pay him a bonus for the new subscribers his album generated and did not reimburse him for music videos. TMZ also reported Tidal sent a letter to West threatening a lawsuit if he attempts to join another streaming music service. Tidal has been under the microscope since its launch. While the service does not make its performance data public on a regular basis, Tidal said last year that it had 3 million active subscribers —a far cry from the tens of millions that regularly flock to AppleMusic and Spotify. In 2015, intense speculation surrounding Tidal’s performance forced Jay-Z to defend the service in a Twitter rant.
TMZ’s full report can be found on its website.
