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Kanye West is reportedly leaving Tidal because the company owes him money

Kanye West is reportedly leaving Tidal because the company owes him money

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Tidal Launch Event NYC #TIDALforALL
Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Roc Nation

Kanye West has terminated his contract with Tidal, TMZ reports. West claims that Jay Z’s streaming service owes him upwards of $3 million and is in breach of contract, according to TMZ’s sources. Through his lawyers, West has terminated his contract with Tidal, while the company apparently refuses to recognize that termination.

West was one of the first artists to join Jay Z’s streaming service at its launch in 2015; his 2016 album The Life of Pablo was originally released as a Tidal exclusive. West claims that album brought 1.5 million new subscribers to Tidal — a number that was apparently supposed to come with a bonus check, according to TMZ. West also says Tidal went back on a promise of additional money for exclusive music videos, which Tidal reportedly says Kanye never produced.

Tidal wave goodbye

According to TMZ, Tidal has threatened to sue West if he leaves the service.

The news is the most recent in a series of spats between West and Jay Z. On Jay Z’s recent Tidal exclusive 4:44, he references a $20 million loan and West’s claim that Jay refused to call him: “‘Ye / You gave him 20 million without blinkin / He gave you 20 minutes on stage, fuck was he thinkin’?”

In a since-deleted series of tweets last year, West made it clear he wasn’t very into album exclusives. “This Tidal Apple beef is fucking up the music game,” he wrote. “Let the kids have the music.”

A second TMZ report claims that West is done with exclusive deals for good.

Neither Tidal nor West has spoken publicly about the contract termination. The Verge has reached out to Tidal for comment and will update with any new information.