In new docu series, Jay Z remembers Kalief Browder as ‘prophet’ {VIDEO} {F}
JAY-Z is reportedly looking to add another significant piece to his business portfolio.
TMZ reports that the 47-year old Roc Nation CEO, along with a famous producer and billionaire are in talks to buy Harvey Weinstein's 23% stake in The Weinstein Company.
Jay already has an ongoing working relationship with TWC and wants to expand it.
Harvey was a producer on the documentary, "The Kalief Browder Story." TWC is also working with Jay on a six-part docu-series on Trayvon Martin, as part of a first-look deal he signed with the studio last September.
The opportunity for Jay to make the acquisition came about after Harvey was fired by TWC's board of representatives earlier this month, amid allegations of sexual harassment against him.
Jay Z To Become The 1st Rapper Inducted Into The Songwriters Hall Of Fame & Set 2 Launch His Own Venture-Capital Firm
In his executive-produced documentary on Kalief Browder, Jay Z recalled his encounter with the 22-year-old who, at 16, spent three years in prison without a conviction.
“Kalief moved so many people. I just felt compelled to meet with him,” the hip-hop mogul said of his decision to reach out to Browder after his story made national headlines.
“I believe our prophets come in many shapes or forms. Sometimes our prophets come in the form of young undeveloped energy that will teach all us grownups how to love better and have more compassion.
“Kalief Browder was a prophet.”
Jay Z appears alongside multiple subjects in TIME’s six-part docu series The Kalief Browder Story, which premiered Wednesday night. The project details Browder’s prison tale, which begins in 2010 when the then teen was arrested while walking home and charged with second degree robbery, after being accused of stealing a backpack. Kalief, who refused to take a plea deal for a crime he said he did not commit, was unable to post his $3,000 bail and subsequently spent the next three years at New York City’s notoriously violent and gang-infested Rikers Island jail. While behind bars, Kalief allegedly endured beatings by prison guards and other inmates, and was held in solitary confinement for most of his holding. Browder’s case was largely referenced by former President Barack Obama in an op-ed announcing his banning of solitary confinement for juveniles in federal prisons. Though his case was eventually dismissed in 2013, Browder’s mental condition began to deteriorate and he later committed suicide by hanging himself in 2015.
Sprint Acquires 33% Of Jay Z's Music Streaming Service TIDAL For A Reported 200Million
Jay Zwill be joining elite company as a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame. His induction is especially meaningful because it's the first time a rapper has received the honor.
Others in the 2017 class includeKenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Robert Lamm, James Pankow & Peter Cetera, p/k/a “Chicago”andMax Martin.
Chance the Rapper congratulated Jay, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis via his Twitter account.
"S/o to my OGs, Jay Z and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, who were elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame today. I hope to one day make it there," he tweeted.
S/o to my OGs, Jay Z and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, who were elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame today. I hope to one day make it there.
Berry Gordy,who was included in the 2016 class but deferred, will also be inducted this year.
“With our 2017 roster of inductees, the Songwriters Hall of Fame moves definitively into recognizing music creators of the 21st century while continuing to honor the greats of earlier decades. The combination of contemporary sounds and timeless hits of the past is certain to make for an unforgettable evening,” said SHOF co-chairs Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff and President Linda Moran, in a statement. “The songwriters we honor cross genres, regional and even national boundaries - R & B, Rap, Pop and Rock & Roll from both coasts, the American heartland and Sweden. We are thrilled to once more have the opportunity to preside over an event that recognizes the convergence of song craft and musical performance at the very highest level.”
The induction ceremony will take place at the Songwriters Hall of Fame's 48th Annual Induction and Awards Dinner on Thursday, June 15th at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.
Jay Z continues to diversify his business portfolio.
The 47-year old rap superstar, born Shawn Carter, and Roc NationPresident Jay Brown are preparing to start a venture-capital firm per Axios.
They will partner with Sherpa Capitol to launch the firm and are currently searching for a third investment partner
Axiom reports that Carter and Brown's company will focus on "seed-stage tech opportunities." The fund size has not yet been determined.
Over the last several years the pair have invested in JetSmarter, Uber's Series B, cosmetics company Julep and the luggage company AWAY, according to Business Insider.
Jay Z also launched the music streaming service TIDAL in 2015.
Jay Z's Tidal Music Streaming Service Being Accused Of Inflating It's User Numbers
TIDAL andSprintare now in business together.
The two companies announced via a press release on Monday, January 23, that Sprint had acquired a 33% stake in Jay Z's music streaming service.
As part of the deal, the telecommunications giant will reward it's 45 million post and prepaid customers with access to TIDAL's exclusive content. Sprint plans to also capitalize on the business arrangement by using it to lure new customers.
Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure
In addition, Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure, will join TIDAL's Board of Directors.
“Sprint shares our view of revolutionizing the creative industry to allow artists to connect directly with their fans and reach their fullest, shared potential,” JAY Z said in a statement. “Marcelo understood our goal right away and together we are excited to bring Sprint’s 45 million customers an unmatched entertainment experience.”
Financial particulars were not revealed in the press release, but Music Business Worldwide reports that it's sources revealed that the sale cost Sprint around $200 million. TIDAL is valued at $600 million overall
“Jay saw not only a business need, but a cultural one, and put his heart and grit into building TIDAL into a world-class music streaming platform that is unrivaled in quality and content,” said Claure. “The passion and dedication that these artist-owners bring to fans will enable Sprint to offer new and existing customers access to exclusive content and entertainment experiences in a way no other service can.”
Prince Estate Sues Jay Z’s TIDAL and Roc Nation For Copyright
In March of 2015,Jay Zacquired Tidal’sOslo-based parent companyAspiro, for$56 million. Tidal quickly inked many A-list artists to deals for it's music streaming service.
Usher, Beyonce, Kanye West, Chris Martin, deadmau5, Jason Aldean, J. Cole, Madonna, Nicki Minaj, Jack White, Alicia Keys, Rihanna and Daft Punk all release new music exclusively through Tidal.
Right out of the gate the company joined a crowded field that includedSpotify, Google Play, Amazon PrimeandPandora. The competition for customers became even more fierce whenApple Musicwas launched in June of 2015.
In September of 2016, the Wall Street Journal reported that Aspiro lost over $28 million in 2015 alone.
Rumors have circulated that Jay wants to sell the company. Apple and Samsung have been mentioned as possible suitors, but nothing has come to fruition.
Apple executive,Jimmy Iovine, toldBuzzfeed that the rumors regarding his company were false.
“We’re really running our own race,” he said. “We’re not looking to acquire any streaming services.”
Today, Business Insider reports via Norwegian newspaper Dagens Næringsliv, that Tidal is being accused of inflating it's user numbers.
The report alleges that Jay's September 2015 tweet that his company had reach one million subscribers was greatly exaggerated.
Internal reports indicate Tidal had 830,000 subscribersat the time. Dagens Næringsliv claims that even that number was inflated, pointing out that payments made to record labels put Tidal's subscribers closer to 350,000.
In a May 29, 2016 press release Tidal claimed it had "amassed three million members across 46 countries worldwide." Dagens Næringsliv disputes those numbers, citing internal reports that showed only1.2 million subscribers. Payments to record labels indicated that it had850,000 subscribersat the time.
Thoughts?
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Prince Estate Rejects Jay Z $40 Million Deal For Unrelease Music Catalog
Prince Estate fired off a lawsuit against Jay Z‘s companies TIDAL and Roc Nation for copyright infringement claiming that the music streaming service is illegally streaming just about every single hit song from the late pop icon.
Prince’s label NPG Records claimed in their lawsuit that ROc Nation overstepped its bounds when the company decided to go beyond an agreement signed with Prince before his death and start streaming his music on TIDAL, TMZ reported.
Prior to his death back in April, Prince signed a deal with Roc Nation to stream his last album “Hit N Run: Phase 1” on TIDAL. But according to legal docs from his estate, that was as far as that deal goes. NPG is now claiming that TIDAL went ahead and started streaming nearly all of the singer’s catalog without the necessary permission.
NPG is now suing Roc Nation and TIDAL for copyright infringement. In a three-page list of songs the company named huge hits from Prince including “Little Red Corvette,” “Purple Rain,” “Pop Life,” “1999,” “I Wanna Be Your Lover” just to name a few.
Jay Z's Tidal Music Streaming Service Lost $28 Million In 2015
Prince Estate told Jay Z no deal for his unreleased music catalog and by the way we will also reviewed his TIDAL deal. Last month, Jay Z made a $40 million offer to Prince’s estate for his massive catalog of unreleased music but the management of his estate declined the offer saying that they want nothing to do with such a deal.
After getting news of the deal, the estate fired off a letter to Jay Z and company last month telling them that there is zero interest in signing a deal for “Roc Nation to exploit any of the intellectual property assets of the Estate,” TMZ reported.
The estate isn’t stopping there because before his death, Prince signed a deal with TIDAL to stream his last album “HitNRun Phase One.” But now his estate is claiming that since his death TIDAL has been streaming 15 of the pop icon’s albums. With that said, they are expecting a big check or a lawsuit could be coming TIDAL’s way.
Prince died on April 21, 2016 at his home at Paisley Park. His autopsy report suggest that he died from an overdose on Opioid. He battle an addiction to Opioid for years and was trying to get help moments before his death.
Apple To Acquire Struggling TIDAL Music From Jay Z
Tidal is still trying to find it's footing in the ultra-competitive music streaming business.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Jay Z's firm Aspiro AB, the Swedish holding company for Tidal, booked a net loss of 239.5 million Swedish crowns ($28.23 million) in 2015.
The list of artists on the company's roster is impressive.
Kanye West, T.I., Lil Wayne, Rihanna, Beyonce, Jay Z, Usher, Madonna, Alicia Keys, Prince, J. Cole, Chris Martin, Calvin Harris, Prince, Daft Punk, Jack White, Arcade Fire, Jason Aldean and deadmau5 all release exclusive content through Tidal.
However, the competition from rivals Apple Music and Spotify is proving to be very stiff.
Couple that with the ease in which fans can get music for free and you can start to see what Tidal is up against.
According to the Wall Street Journal, "A person familiar with the matter said the financial statement doesn’t paint a complete picture of the situation at Tidal because it doesn’t reflect all U.S. revenue and financing."
Jay Z bought Aspiro in January of 2015 for $56 million.
Jay Z Sues Tidal's Previous Owners For 15Million. Claims They Exaggerated Streaming Subscriber Numbers
Apple is looking to bolster its music streaming service by buying TIDAL Music.
Multiple reports surfaced on Thursday claiming that Apple is in talks with the owners of TIDAL music. The music streaming service is mostly owned by artists including Jay Z, Beyonce, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Madonna, Kanye West and more.
The Wall Street Journey claimed that the talks are still in the early stages but it would make perfect sense for Apple to acquire TIDAL if it hopes to compete with Spotify.
While TIDAL has the lowest number of subscription of the three major music streaming apps, it still has an edge in terms of big name artists exclusivity. Rihanna, Beyonce, and Kanye West all released their last album excluisvely on TIDAL first and Apple Music and Spotify subscribers have to wait weeks, sometimes months before getting these music.
Music has become a big part of the mobile world and Apple sees this as a way to entice consumers into buying more of its flagship product the iPhone. Getting the type of exclusivity that TIDAL has with artists could give Apple the edge it needs to wrestle the streaming market away from Spotify.
If the Apple/TIDAL deal does go through it could be good for consumers to gain access to an even bigger music catalog on a Apple device. But it could be bad for some consumers because there would be less choices in the music streaming market which could result in less competition and high subscription fees.
Spotify now has 30 million paying subscribers while Apple has half that number. TIDAL numbers are still sketchy but its believed to be in the 3 million ballpark. TIDAL has also been struggling with leadership issues over the past year after changing at least three CEOs and a bunch of other top execs at the company.
Perhaps the deal could be good for both Apple and TIDAL.
Jay Z’s TIDAL Sued By Artists For 5Million Over Royalty
When Jay Z bought Swedish music streaming firm, Aspiro, for $56 million in March 2015, their subscriber base was figured into the purchase price.
The business mogul, who later renamed the company Tidal, is now seeking to recoup $15 million from the seller, claiming the subscription numbers were inflated.
“It became clear after taking control of Tidal and conducting our own audit that the total number of subscribers was actually well below the 540,000 reported to us by the prior owners,” Tidal said in an e-mailed statement to Bloomberg. “As a result, we have now served legal notice to parties involved in the sale.”
Despite having exclusive content from artists includingBeyonce, Kanye West, Madonna, Nicki Minaj, J. Cole, Daft Punk, Alicia Keys, Jack Whiteand others, Tidal with it's3 million subscribersstill trails it's biggest competitors by a wide margin.
In contrast, Spotify currently has 30 million paid subscribers and Apple Music has more than 11 million.
Jay Z “The Black Gangster” Previously Recorded Unreleased Song
Jay Z’s TIDAL music streaming service was hit with a $5 million lawsuit for withholding royalties from artists and copyright infringement.
John Emanuele of Yesh Music LLC hit the company with the lawsuit claiming that they have not paid Indie artists royalties, as well as, infringing on their copyright. According to Fortune, John Emanuele is suing S. Carter Enterprises, TIDAL, and two other companies behind the music streaming service. But TIDAL is denying the allegations claiming that they are up to date with royalty payments. “TIDAL is up to date on all royalties for the rights to the music stated in Yesh Music, LLC and John Emanuele’s claim and they are misinformed as to who, if anyone, owes royalty payments to them,” TIDAL said in the statement. “As Yesh Music, LLC admits in their claim, TIDAL has the rights to the Master Recordings through its distributor Tunecore and have paid Tunecore in full for such exploitations. Their dispute appears to be over the mechanical licenses, which we are also up to date on payments via Harry Fox Agency our administrator of mechanical royalties.” As news of the lawsuit spreads, TIDAL has also announced that they have fired their CFO and COO. That move could be as a result of the lawsuit. TIDAL also noted in their statement that Jay Z’s company S Carter Enterprises, LLC has nothing to do with the music streaming service. “They especially should not be naming S Carter Enterprises, LLC, which has nothing to do with Tidal,” the statement reads. “This claim serves as nothing other than a perfect example of why America needs Tort reform.” TIDAL is owned by mostly artists including Jay Z, Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, Madonna, Alicia Keys, Rihanna, Kanye West and more. Will TIDAL survive this storm? Sound off in comments below.
Jay Z & Timbaland Win 'Big Pimpin' Copyright Infringement Lawsuit
Jay Z just released a song from his vault of previously recorded unreleased tracks. DJ Absolute unearth the track which was never released as part of his Mixtape Monday’s series. XXL mag reported that the single was previously titled “This Life Forever” and was featured on Jay Z’s 2003 mixtape S. Carter Collection and the 1999 Black Gangster soundtrack. “My lyrics is like the Bible, made to save lives / In the midst of all your misery, ni**a, I can stay fly,” Jay Z raps. Jay Z is rumored to be working on a joint album with his wife Beyonce although there are not much details on that project to go with. Reports suggest a 2016 release date. Listen to “The Black Gnagster” below.
Jay Z was ranked No. 2 on Billboard list of 10 Greatest Rappers of All Time behind Notorious B.I.G. The hip hop mogul also ranked No. 2 on Forbes Hip Hop Cash Kings behind Diddy. Jay Z banked a reported $56 million in the last year alone
Chalk one up for Jay Z and Timbaland's legal teams.
The Associated Press reports that a copyright infringement lawsuit against the two was thrown out on Wednesday, October 31st.
The nephew of Egyptian composer Baligh Hamdy sued the rapper and producer, claiming they ruined his uncle's song, "Khosara, Khosara," which was sampled for the 2000 hit record, "Big Pimpin."
U.S. District Judge Christina A. Snyder ruled Wednesday that the heir didn't have "the right to pursue a copyright infringement claim" and the case should be tossed out. She told jurors "she was basing her ruling on testimony about Egyptian law that was presented during a weeklong trial."
Pete Ross, the attorney for the plaintiff, said the judges ruling was "completely wrong." He plans to appeal the decision.
Jay Z x Jimmy Kimmel: Talks Battling Busta Rhymes In High School, Being A Sports Agent, TIDAL, Brooklyn, Gets Embarrassed By An Old Rapping Clip (Video)
Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, Jay Z, Meek Mill, T.I., Rick Ross, Nick Jonas, Lil Wayne and Damian Marley were among some big names that performed at the TIDAL X: 1020 concert last night in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center.
The charity event was well received by fans with a sold out crowd packing the arena. Proceeds from the concert will benefit the New World Foundation a charity that caters to civil rights issues.
Beyonce and Nicki Minaj performed their smash hit collaborative single “Feeling Myself” single, as well as, performed individual sets. Beyonce even performed with her husband Jay Z before breaking out doing the dutty wine.
TIDAL broadcast the event live on the website and you can still get a glimpse of the action if you missed it.
Jay Z Testifies In Court For “Big Pimpin” Lawsuit Trial {VIDEO}
Jay Z sat down for a rare interview with Jimmy Kimmel on Tuesday, October 20th.
He talked about a wide range of topics including the positive changes in Brooklyn, battling Busta Rhymes in High School, the best pizza in his borough, TIDAL, being a sports agent, advising athletes on finances and more.
Apple Forces Tidal To Cut Off Drake's Perfomance At Lil Wayne's Lil Weezyana Fest
Jay Z appeared on the witness stand this week for his ongoing “Big Pimpin” trial. The multimillion dollar trial is currently underway in a Los Angeles federal court regarding a copyright infringement on the popular single.
“Big Pimpin” was released in 1999 and was a huge hit back then. The track samples 1957 song “Khosara Khosara” by Egyptian composer Baligh Hamdi.
The rap mogul and his close friend Timbaland are both being sued by Baligh Hamdi heirs who claimed that they don’t have the proper rights to use the song.
The lawsuit also argues that the song is too vulgar and promote activities that are not apart of their culture.
Jay Z spent 90 minutes on the stand, according to the Associated Press, and most of that time was spent recounting his life, career and success. He spoke highly of the single that became his first major hit in the early part of his career.
Hov also brought a long a copy of his album Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter, released in 1999 to prove that he and Timbaland did have the proper rights to sample “Khosara Khosara.”
Lil Wayne Sign Deal With Jay Z’s TIDAL Music And Not Roc Nation
Lil Wayne’s first ever Lil Weezyana Fest took place last night in New Orleans. Wezzy brought out special guests like Drake, Hot Boys, Master P, Juvenile, Turk, Mannie Fresh, Kidd Kidd and more.Wayne was ready to bring his Young Money artist Drake to the stage, but the the live stream was unfortunately cut off. Nigel D was there and he was able to record Drake performingMeek Mill diss “Back To Back”.
Check out the video below.
Lil Wayne brings out Hot Boys, Master P, Juvenile, Turk, Mannie Fresh & more.
Tidal was the official broadcaster of the live stream but they had to cut off Drake's performance because Apple threatened to sue Tidal for $20 million if they streamed their artist's performance reports Page Six.
Cash Money To Roc Nation? Lil Wayne Announces Deal With His "Idol" Jay Z At KMEL's Summer Jam 2015 (Video)
There are no feud between Lil Wayne and Jay Z despite the two rap titans trading a few jabs years ago.
Lil Wayne has announced that he just signed a new deal with Jay Z’s music streaming service TIDAL.
The Young Money rapper sent his fans into a frenzy over the weekend when he announced the deal during his concert at KMEL’s Summer Jam at Oakland’s Oracle Arena.
“I just signed a deal with my motherf***** idol Jay Z,” Lil Wayne said to loud cheers. Several news outlets ran with a story claiming that Wayne signed a recording deal with Roc Nation.
But it turns out that the deal Lil Wayne was referring to is his deal with TIDAL that will see him going on board as a artist owner of the company. “The Internet and blogs took his words out of context,” Wayne’s manager, Cortez Bryant tells Billboard. “When Wayne was speaking about the partnership with Jay Z, he was speaking about his new deal as an artist owner with Tidal.” Wayne is suing his former mentor and friend Birdman for $51 million for stiffing him out of money for his new album Tha Carter V. The New Orleans rapper also said that he wants to leave Cash Money Records.
Lil Wayne Is Now A Co-Owner Jay Z's Tidal Streaming Service {VIDEO}
Lil Wayne kept it short and brief, but his announcement at 106 KMEL's Summer Jam 2015 on Saturday, June 13, at Oracle Arena in Oakland, has sent shock waves throughout the industry.
During his set Wayne said that he had "just signed a deal with my motherf*cking idol Jay Z." Does this mean he's managed to get out of his Cash Money deal and moved his Young Money imprint over to Roc Nation?
Since Wayne's didn't elaborate we're left to guess until more news comes out. Check out the footage below.
Jay-Z cries racism, but does Tidal have any black employees? {PICS}
Lil Wayne is now officially one of the co-owners of Jay Z'sTidal. The announcement was made on Wednesday, June, 3, shortly after the rapper dropped an exclusive song titled "Glory" on the streaming service.
Weezy will perform at a special Tidal X concert called The Lil Wayne Experience. An announced on the date is expected soon.
Read the YMCMB chief's statement:
“TIDAL is a great way to share music directly with fans. I’m hyped for people to hear my latest track and can’t wait to show fans love through a special TIDAL X.”
Jay-Z claims there is a 'multi-million dollar smear campaign' against his Tidal streaming app after 'delays by Apple hit downloads'
The rapper Jay-Z went into an interesting and very public tirade about his struggles as a black man. During a recent concert performance, the artist did a freestyle, using the names of Freddie Gray and Trayvon Martin to express the grief he feels trying to build a business while enduring the grip of the white man’s oppression.
Kanye West Scrubs All Mentions Of Jay Z's Tidal From His Twitter As Company Begins Downward Spiral (Video)
Rapper says that his streaming service is 'here for the long haul'
Report claims that app is being affected by delays from Apple, which is launching its own music service this summer
Jay Z claims that Tidal already has more than 700,000 subscribers
App purchasing data shows that it has fallen out of top 750 downloads
Jay Z launched a stream of tweets defending his premium music streaming app Tidal after the service, launched last month, was described as a flop.
His social media diatribe comes as reports claim that Tidal is being sabotaged by rivals as it attempts to take business away from more-established music outlets such as Spotify and Apple.
'We may not be perfect - but we are determined,' he said while claiming that there are 'many big companies that are spending millions on a smear campaign'.
'We are here for the long haul,' the rapper and businessman tweeted in a string of 'stream of consciousness' messages.
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Twitter rant: Jay Z unleashed a string of 'stream of consciousness' tweets on Sunday defending his premium music streaming service Tidal and saying that it is still early days for the app
Tidal tweets: Using the hashtag #TidalFacts, the rap mogul told naysayers that 'actions will speak louder than words' as he continues to fine tune the streaming service he purchased for $56 million in January
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Equality for all: The rapper and businessman insisted that Tidal is good for all artists and not just a money-maker for the big name artists like Kanye, Rihanna and Madonna who have joined him as co-founders
Feeling the need to vent: Jay Z decided to take to social media on Sunday in an aggressive push after what he saw as a 'smear campaign' from big companies against Tidal
Jay Z, who paid $56 million for TIDAL's technology in January and relaunched it in March, went on the offensive against the supposed smear campaign.
Tidal has potential rivals including popular streaming service Spotify and tech giant Apple, though Jay Z did not post any details about the alleged campaign.
After Tidal was criticized because of the wealth of its founders, the rapper said that other big tech companies also have huge amounts of money.
'Rich getting richer? Equity values... YouTube $390 billion. Apple $760 billion. Spotify $8 billion. Tidal $60 million,' he said.
On Sunday Page Six claimed that there's also a 'war' looming between Tidal and Apple.
Citing industry sources, the New York Post's gossip site alleged that tech giant Apple is trying to impede Tidal ahead of the scheduled relaunch in June of its own Beats Music by taking a long time to approve iOS updates for the Tidal app.
'Tidal had a new app on Android on April 15, but still hasn’t received approval for Apple’s iOS app store,' a source said.
The site claimed that after Rihanna's song American Oxygen debuted on Tidal, there were technical problems with her music on iTunes.
Apple told Page Six that the allegations that Rihanna's songs were deliberately scrambled are not true.
The spokesperson declined to comment on the other claims made in the article, according to Page Six.
War looming: A report from Page Six on Sunday said that Apple, which is launching its own music service, is trying to stop any growth by Tidal by delaying availability of updates for its app
Big guns: Tidal charges users $19.99 a month for its premium music streaming service and aims to take on rivals such as Spotify, Pandora and Apple's iTunes. Madonna and Rihanna are among the company's backers
In the same article, Page Six also alleged that Robert Kondrk, vice president of iTunes Content, has said any artists who put out exclusive music on Tidal won't be featured artists on iTunes.
The article also reported that Sony Music will not grant Tidal a license to stream from Sony artists, one of whom is, of course, Jay Z's wife Beyonce.
A representative for Sony Music declined to comment to Page Six.
A month ago, some of the biggest names in music joined Jay Z for the launch of Tidal but the $19.99 a month subscription service is floundering in the app downloads charts.
According to Billboard.com on Sunday, Tidal, which launched on March 30, has fallen out of Apple's top 750 apps, after a peak at No. 83 on April 7.
The rapper's Twitter rant and news of tensions with other tech companies come after a week of bad press for TIDAL.
The company's CEO Andy Chen also recently left the company amid a 'streamlining' of staff.
Even those close to Jay-Z were seen as moving away from the potential failure.
Co-founder Kanye West changed his Twitter avatar away from a logo for the service and deleted all mention of it from his account earlier this week.
He later reaffirmed his support for the service in a tweet saying 'The love of music is louder than words'.
Despite reports of its stuttering start, Jay-Z insisted on Twitter that Tidal is doing just fine.
'We have over 770,000 subs. We have been in business less than one month,' he tweeted, and included the hashtag #TidalFacts.
Artists unite in New York for launch of Tidal streaming service
Tweet of support: Canadian producer and performer Deadmaus5, who joined Jay Z on stage at the New York relaunch of Tidal on March 31, used his Twitter account Sunday to support the company
Tidal is co-owned by Jay Z, Kanye West, Beyonce, Madonna, Rihanna, Jack White, Alicia Keys and others.
In his Sunday stream of tweets, Jay Z stressed that the service pays a 75 percent royalty rate to all artists and not just the high profile founders who appeared on stage at the launch.
Other info he shared under the hashtag #TidalFacts included that 'iTunes Store wasn't built in a day' and 'It took Spotify 9 years to be successful.'
TIDAL has attempted to differentiate away from its competitors by billing itself as having higher quality audio and being focused on rewarding those making music.
Jay-Z referenced Tidal X which 'supports artists by giving them a platform to connect with their most loyal fans. Tidal is for all.'
Canadian producer and performer Deadmaus5, who joined Jay Z on stage for the Tidal launch in New York, jumped on the bandwagon Sunday.
He tweeting his followers: 'despite whatever dumbs**t preconceptions you may or may not have about tidal, im still behind it. Im in it for industry growth, not PR. (sic).'
Several artists have publicly criticized the roll-out, saying that Jay Z made it seem as if some of the world's biggest musicians wanted more money.
'When they say it's artist-owned, it's owned by those rich, wealthy artists,' Marcus Mumford, the frontman of Mumford & Sons, said in a recent and widely-disseminated interview with The Daily Beast website.
Friction: Page Six claimed Sunday that Sony Music won't give Tidal a license to stream music by artists signed to it labels, which include Jay Z's wife Beyonce
Not all artists are fans: Marcus Mumford of Mumford & Sons has criticized Tidal saying it's just a way for wealthy artists to get richer
Show us the money! Jay-Z, Kanye and Beyonce unite music's biggest stars to launch new Tidal streaming service to kill off Spotify and get a bigger cut for themselves (for $20-a-month) (VIDEO)
As reports start to trickle in about Jay Z'sTidal streaming services flopping, one of it's biggest backers appears to be distancing himself from the fledgling company.
The NY Daily News reports that Kanye West has scrubbed his Twitter of all mentions of Tidal. He even removed the company's logo as his avatar and replaced it with a picture of his My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy artwork.
It's a strange move from someone who was an initial big backer of the company and a good friend of it's CEO.
A host of the biggest names in the music business joined forces on Monday to announce the launch of a new music streaming service
Unlike rivals Spotify, the service will NOT have a free tier, meaning artists will make more more by teaming up with Tidal
Tidal is billed as the first artist-owned platform for music and video
Service aims to compete directly with Spotify and Apple's soon-to-be revamped music service,headed by Dr Dre
Users can pay either $9.95 a month for a standard streaming service or $19.99 for high quality streaming
A host of the biggest names in the music industry have joined forces to launch Tidal, a streaming service being billed as the first artist-owned platform for music and video.
Rihanna, Madonna, Beyonce, Usher, Daft Punk, Arcade Fire, Jack White and Kanye West joined a host of other stars as they were revealed as co-owners of the subscription service, which is the brainchild of Jay Z.
Unlike rivals Spotify, the service will not have a free tier - meaning the musicians stand to make more money from it.
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Celebrity backing: Jason Aldean, Jack White, Daft Punk, Beyonce, Regine Chassagne, Win Butler, and Alicia Keys onstage at the Tidal launch event on Monday
Selling the product: Quoting Jimmy Hendrix and Nietzsche, Alicia Keys did her best to sell Tidal to fans
Artists unite in New York for launch of Tidal streaming service
The membership-based service - similar to subscription service Spotify - will provide music and exclusive video content that users can stream on computers, tablets and smartphones or listen to offline.
Unlike Spotify there isn't a free service.
It is being offered to U.S. users at two price points: about $9.95 for standard sound quality and $19.99 for 'lossless high fidelity sound quality.'
Tidal streams at 1,411 kilobytes per second - well above the 320 for premium subscribers of Spotify, which offers lower levels for free users.
Alicia Keys said the artists hope Tidal will 'forever change the course of music history' and ensure the viability of the industry at Monday's launch event in New York City.
The celebrities - which also included Nicki Minaj, Jason Aldean, Usher, Arcade Fire and deadmau5 - stood in a line, and in solidarity by mostly wearing black onstage as Keys spoke to the audience at Skylight at Moynihan Station in Manhattan.
Keys called the event 'a graduation.'
'So we come together before you on this day, March 30th, 2015, with one voice in unity in the hopes that today will be another one of those moments in time, a moment that will forever change the course of music history.
'For today we announce of Tidal, the first ever artist-owned, global music and entertainment platform,' Keys said.
However, details about the streaming service were vague.
The membership-based service - similar to subscription service Spotify - will provide music and exclusive video content that users can stream on computers, tablets and smartphones or listen to offline.
Unlike Spotify there isn't a free service.
It is being offered to U.S. users at two price points: about $9.95 for standard sound quality and $19.99 for 'lossless high fidelity sound quality.'
Tidal streams at 1,411 kilobytes per second - well above the 320 for premium subscribers of Spotify, which offers lower levels for free users.
Earlier claims were made that Tidal offers artists double the streaming rates of its rival.
However, the firm has confirmed if this is still the case.
Music's biggest players launch streaming service TIDAL
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMM
Signing on: Madonna climbs on the table as she signs a document as one of the high profile co-owners of the new service
The difference means that Tidal offers higher sound quality for audiophiles with advanced sound systems - but that casual listeners using simple laptops or smartphones may face slower connections.
The venue for the event was transformed to display a walkway paying tribute to the different decades in music, starting with the 1950s.
HOW THE STREAMING SERVICES COMPETE
Service
Cost
Tidal
$9.95 for standard sound quality and $19.99 for 'lossless high fidelity sound quality'
Spotify
Free Premium level with ads, Premium $10 per month service
Beats Music
$9.99 per month or $99 per year
Coldplay's Chris Martin and Calvin Harris, who both appeared via video, are also co-owners.
'Our mission goes beyond commerce, it goes beyond technology.
'Our intent is to preserve music's importance in our lives,' Keys said.
'Music is the language of love, of laughter, of heartbreak, of mystery. It's the world's true, true, without question, universal language.'
Each of the owners signed documents at the event as the audience screamed when they walked to a table in the center of the stage.
Star power: Daft Punk line up on stage next to Beyonce; Monday's launch came after a huge social media push, in which the stars devoted their Twitter and Facebook pages to promoting Tidal
Offering curated playlists and 'editorial', Tidal already has deals in place with all the major record labels. It will also work when offline, with users able to 'listen on the subway'.
The artists hope the service can compete with platforms including Spotify and Apple's soon-to-be revamped music service involving Beats Music.
Streaming - which allows users to play unlimited on-demand music online - has quickly shaken up the industry, narrowly edging out CD sales in revenues last year in the United States.
Industry leader Spotify says it has 60 million users with 15 million of them paying - generally $10 a month.
Spotify already has a range of rivals including US-based Rhapsody and Google Play.
Paris-based Deezer is the second larger service with 6 million customers. It is strong in Europe and last year entered the United States as a high-end-only service.
The most recent numbers for Tidal are at 540,000, according to the company.
Like Tidal, Deezer's elite service uses FLAC files which are larger than MP3s, which are most common for music.
All onboard: Rihanna, Nicki Minaj and Madonna hope to profit from the new service
Apple - which pioneered digital music through iTunes in 2001 - is reportedly also looking to launch a new streaming service as the market shifts away from permanent downloads.
Apple earlier made a bid for streaming customers by buying Beats Electronics, run by another rap mogul, Dr. Dre.
Along with the United States, Tidal runs in major markets including Britain and France and plans to launch later this year in Australia and Germany.
Alicia asked the crowd to: 'think about how many times music has personally picked you up and reminded you that you can do it again.'
'Music speaks to all of us,' she said. 'Music brings us together, it connects us all.
'Music is so powerful - that is what Tidal will be. A place for connection between artists and fans.
The launch of the event in New York City brought together artists from across the musicial spectrum
The brains: Jay Z purchased Swedish tech company Aspiro for $56 million earlier this year to take control of Tidal and fellow streaming service WiMP; he has convinced his fellow stars to join him in the venture
Happy to be part of it: Kanye West could hardly contain his excitement at the launch of the new streaming service which aims to compete against the likes of Spotify and provide more money for the artists
'The place to discover the music that will become the soundtrack for the rest of our lives.'
The launch came after a huge social media push, in which the stars devoted their Twitter and Facebook pages to promoting Tidal.
The mastermind behind the new system, Jay Z purchased Swedish tech company Aspiro for $56 million earlier this year to take control of Tidal.
Before the purchase in February he reportedly hosted a meeting of the music world's biggest stars at which he lamented 'crass commercialization'.
Daft Punk's two members were key figures in deciding on a strategy during the meeting days before the Grammy Awards at The Fig House event space in a remote part of Pasadena, Los Angeles.
And it appears Jay Z's business mind convinced them to open their pockets, and sign on as 'co-owners'.
Business men: Kanye West and Jay Z clap Alicia Keys after her passionate speech; the new system is subscription only and will cost users $20 a month, or $10 for a lower quality service
Everyone has signed up: From Madonna to Deadmau5, Kanye West, and JAY-Z, the scheme has attracted the cream of the music industry, with stars of country, pop and R & B all signing up
Norwegian business daily Dagens Naeringsliv reported in January that Jay Z's company was particularly interested in Wimp's high-fidelity Tidal streaming service which is being launched on the U.S. market.
'The Wimp/Tidal service has the potential for greatness, given that it has high-end audio capabilities,' music specialist Simon Dyson at corporate analytics firm Ovum told AFP in an email, adding that the $56-million price tag was 'not excessive'.
Jay-Z is one of the world's best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 100 million records. Forbes estimated last year that his net worth was $520 million.
Spotify was a pioneer in the streaming music business. The unlisted company boasted 15 million paying subscribers in mid-January and is available in 58 countries.
Big backing: Beyonce, Jay Z and Kanye West are seen at a round table in an advert promoting Tidal ahead of the big announcement on Monday
The big meeting: The trailer saw the celebrities at the table Skyping famous chums as they discussed the launch of Tidal, which will allow artists to profit from their material and directly upload quality tracks
Comment by caribmama on October 14, 2017 at 9:08pm
I give it up to J to see how he came up and to see him doing good now. But please don't do any close ups. So it Jay is taking over for Harvey, will he be meeting his starlets in a bathrobe? LOL
Comment by mr1stroke on January 23, 2017 at 5:03pm
why do these negros keep selling what they built, thats why they are no black companies that is why there is no wealth in the community or from the community, that is why negros are always looking for jobs, if you are going to sell why not sell among each other at least we know it still black own, that money you have call liquid cash we know how fast that can dissappear, assets is what those wealthy people sit on why you think donald trump always filing bankrupcy and turn it into cash, come stop standing for just a dollar bill
Sometimes people create startups and sell off the company. Believe it or not sometimes that's the gold. I don't know if that's the case here but there's is a lot a money to be made on creativity.
lol its sad niggas never own nothing, soon their build something they let it go for a few dollars, but never ask their selves why would someone give you all that money for what you build, well lets see for the idiots who are impress by the liquid money, that is why niggas always go broke, there will come a time the money will worth nothing the only way to stay rich is to have assets, why do you think big corporations merging and taking over small corporation, every time we turn around there is a white company dated since 1700 or 1800 but niggas have nothing, money is all you will always have and i understand when you are born with nothing you become impressed by what you see, like the nice things that money can buy so in your mind money is everything, but you dont have the mentality to invest, i have own several names for website i pay the hosting and make sure i won all names since AOl came out i knew they would be valuable, now i get to license them which means i still own them, but getting pay every time someone else make money, in other words for idiots who are impress by the dollar bills i get pay while someone else do the work, which allows me time to work on something else, not too bad for a dude who came from the streets and can tell corporate america to kiss his ass at everything, seriously jay z everything is not for sale learn how to keep one and pass it from generation to generation this is the only way you can build wealth other wise all you have is riches big different
This is hilarious. Hmmm let's me see. This is a white man system and game. He should of started his own to watch it grow. Instead of buying a failing system. He just got suckered. Lol
I don't know why so many black people make bad business men/women, is it because they don't understand the difference between being rich and wealthy? Wealth is something that is build over a generation. So when in business, black employers have to pay their employees their agreed salary, treat their workers with respect and just get rid of the street hustler mentality if you are build a business that can generate wealth for many generations. As for Jay Z, he is known for not paying his employees fairly and was also sued for that practice.
Comment by mssusieqno1 on November 19, 2015 at 7:26am
their people. Not there people. lol
Comment by The Future on October 23, 2015 at 12:18am
None of these bastards care about there people, Jays a sellout and that lowlife bastard jordan always sold his people out, these mother F*****s! are the kings of blood sucking off there peoples. That's why we will never rise as a people to many of these lowlife bastards are out for self, but when dumbass black people continue supporting them why the hell wouldn't they keep doing it. IT'S OUR OWN FAULT.....To be continued. I remember one time some kids in Chicago ditched school to go buy some jordan sneakers, they ask this dumbass jordan what he thought, he said well I think we should bring the sneakers out on a Saturday, this jackass has the ear of a nation and that's the best you can come up with, niggas getting killed for these bulls**t ass $20 sneakers where there made and that's the best thing you can say. I never liked his dumbass, the very definition of a sellout N****!!!!!!!! Jay as well.
It turns out mr mike Jordan did invest in the new prison industrial complexes to enslave his own people and get richer, so google his name with prison industrial complex and see what pops up.
The slave mentality is to spend money with other races and degrade ourselves financially and then complain about racism. Racism exist but we dont have to feed into it.
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