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.
