Trust Jay Z to bust out a rarely seen freestyle to talk smack about the rival to Tidal, Spotify.
At one of the streaming service’s first ever bonus shows – “Tidal X: Jäy-Z B-Sides” at New York City’s Terminal 5 – Jay Z fired shots at Spotify, Apple, Nike, and anyone who’s saying Tidal shouldn’t be supported because it’s a case of the rich artists getting richer (read: the entire media).
“You know I came in this independent right?
Tidal, my own label, same difference
Oh, n—as is skeptical when it’s their own shit
You bought nine iPhones and Steve Jobs is rich
Phil Knight is worth millions, you still bought them kicks
Spotify is nine million, they ain’t say shit.”
Tidal has come under fire for pretty much everything, from its bizarre star-studded launch to its lack of free subscription model. Last month, Jay Z went on a full blown Twitter rant of #TidalFacts, which FYI seems to be the official Tidal hashtag now. (Unless a concert is a Tidal Fact now? IDK.)
Tonight #TIDALXJCOLE 9pm ET on http://t.co/dev7SZ1KMj #TidalFacts
— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) April 27, 2015
#TidalFacts: free tickets were given to Tidal users who created the best b-side-theme playlists.
#TidalFacts: all other subscribers were able to watch it online.
#TidalFacts: would probably consider switching from Spotify to Tidal tbh if free tickets to Jay Z were offered in Australia. Maybe.
Jay Z also paid homage to Freddie Gray, Mike Brown, Travyon Martin, whose recent deaths by police shooting instigated riots across the USA.
Watch Jay Z freestyle here:
Or check out the whole thing here (Jay Z busts out freestyling around the 17:18 mark).
Jay Z’s full freestyle lyrics:
So I’m the bad guy now I here, because I don’t go with the flow
Don’t ever go with the flow, be the flow
And I don’t need no middle man to talk to my n—as
I understand if you don’t understand, I figure I’m Jiggga
That’s where we differ
I take what’s mine, you accept what they give you, I get you
I don’t take no checks I take my respect
Pharrell even told me go with the safest bet
Jimmy loving offered a safety net
Google dangled around a crazy check
I feel like YouTube is the biggest culprit
Them n—as pay you a tenth of what you supposed to get
You know n—as die for equal pay right?
You know I ain’t shucking and jiving and high fiving
You know this ain’t back in the days right?
But I can’t tell, like the way they killed Freddie Gray right
Shot down Mike Brown how they did Tray right
Let them continue choking n—as
We gonna turn style, I ain’t you token n—a
You know I came in this independent right?
Tidal, my own label, same difference
Oh, n—as is skeptical when it’s their own shit
You bought nine iPhones and Steve Jobs is rich
Phil Knight is worth millions, you still bought them kicks
Spotify is nine million, they ain’t say shit
Lucy you got some splaining to do
The only one they hating on look the same as you
I know they trying to bamboozle you
Spending millions on media trying to confuse you
I had to talk to myself, Hov you used to it
It’s politics as usual.”
*mike drop*
Image credit: Theo Wargo
