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Wednesday 16 September 2020

Kanye West threatens legal action against Universal and Sony just hours after he announced he would not make any more music until after his contract with the companies ends

Kanye West on Tuesday shared a text conversation on Twitter about possibly taking legal action against Universal and Sony just hours after the rapper announced that he would not make any more music until his contract ends. 
'I'm not putting no more music out till I'm done with my contract with Sony and Universal ... On God ... in Jesus name ... come and get me,' West tweeted Monday night. 
'I need to see everybody's contracts at Universal and Sony I'm not gonna watch my people be enslaved I'm putting my life on the line for my people The music industry and the NBA are modern day slave ships I'm the new Moses,' West added. 
Apparently neither of the companies had responded to West's tweets, which prompted him to share the text conversation between himself and someone who appears to be a lawyer. 
'No one from Universal or Sony has responded so it’s Go time,' West wrote Tuesday morning. 
In the actual text conversation, the individual who could be a lawyer writes: 'Meaning that we can argue that Universal and Sony have not supported you fully. And that as a result they have breached. This is the lawsuit/termination nuclear option.'
The individual continues: 'If we went that route we would litigate and ask for your masters as part of a settlement. This is a high risk but high reward strategy.'
At some point, West and the individual spoke about Taylor Swift and the controversial $300million deal that Scooter Braun, who manages Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, struck in order to obtain her master recordings in 2019. 


'I'm not putting no more music out till I'm done with my contract with Sony and Universal ... On God ... in Jesus name ... come and get me,' Kanye West tweeted Monday night
'I'm not putting no more music out till I'm done with my contract with Sony and Universal ... On God ... in Jesus name ... come and get me,' Kanye West tweeted Monday night
Just hours after tweeting about not making any more music under Universal and Sony, the rapper shared a text conversation between himself and someone who appears to be a lawyer. The two discussed possible litigation against Universal and Sony as a 'nuclear option'
Just hours after tweeting about not making any more music under Universal and Sony, the rapper shared a text conversation between himself and someone who appears to be a lawyer. The two discussed possible litigation against Universal and Sony as a 'nuclear option'
West later tweeted Tuesday that he was 'making progress' with the situation
West later tweeted Tuesday that he was 'making progress' with the situation
West also shared a screen shot of a text message that he received about a Vivendi wanting to have a conversation with him. The Vivendi family are the French conglomerate that owns Universal music
West also shared a screen shot of a text message that he received about a Vivendi wanting to have a conversation with him. The Vivendi family are the French conglomerate that owns Universal music
West followed that tweet up with another one, saying that the call with the Vivendi board member 'went great'
West followed that tweet up with another one, saying that the call with the Vivendi board member 'went great'
'Re masters ownership we can look into buying. But if Taylor's [Swift] cost $300million yours would cost a lot more I assume. Remember that if you re-recorded these songs you could own these new masters outright,' the person speaking with West wrote. 
'A much more radical consideration would be to propose an entirely new relationship or joint venture with Universal. One that is equal and not one sided. I am not sure you are interested in that. But if [sic] could be a Yeezy Media/Universal joint venture play but one where you have the power,' the person continued. 
In response to those text messages, West responded: 'I'm not open to any form of business with Universal or Sony.'
West later tweeted that he was making progress with the situation. 
'Hey everyone we’re making progress... I’ll keep everyone updated on how this meeting with Vivendi goes... If Nikola Tesla had a Twitter the world would run off AC ... Edison killed Tesla’s image to control the power LITERALLY... Tesla and I only mean well for the world,' West tweeted. 
The rapper shared that tweet with a screen shot of a text message that reads: 'Katie reached out off of the tweet. She is on the board of Vivendi.
The Vivendi family are the French conglomerate that owns Universal music that includes West's GOOD label, Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam on which his music was released.
Tuesday's public conversation was a continuation of one that West started on Monday. 
'Vivendi family I'm in Calabassas,' he shared Monday night.  
'I need a [public] apology from J Cole and Drake to start with immediately,' he then wrote in another tweet, adding, 'I'm Nat Turner … I'm fighting for us.'
West was referring to his past feuds with J. Cole and Drake in the past.
Nat Turner is an American slave who led a Virginia rebellion for freedom in 1831. 
Tuesday's conversation was a continuation of one that West started on Monday (tweet pictured)
Tuesday's conversation was a continuation of one that West started on Monday (tweet pictured) 
The Vivendi family are the French conglomerate that owns Universal music that includes West's GOOD label, Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam on which his music was released
The Vivendi family are the French conglomerate that owns Universal music that includes West's GOOD label, Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam on which his music was released
Kim Kardashian West, Kanye West, and J. Cole are pictured watching basketball in February
Kim Kardashian West, Kanye West, and J. Cole are pictured watching basketball in February 
Kanye West, Kenny Burns and Drake (right) are pictured together in June 2015
Kanye West, Kenny Burns and Drake (right) are pictured together in June 2015
West demanded an apology with artists J Cole and Drake with whom he has feuded with in the past. He stated that he was 'Nat Turner', an American slave who led a Virginia rebellion for freedom in 1831
West demanded an apology with artists J Cole and Drake with whom he has feuded with in the past. He stated that he was 'Nat Turner', an American slave who led a Virginia rebellion for freedom in 1831
Forbes calculates Kanye West's net worth to be at $1.3 billion, although this tweet was later deleted
Forbes calculates Kanye West's net worth to be at $1.3 billion, although this tweet was later deleted

As the Twitter rant continued, West wrote: 'I'm the 2nd richest black man in America,' followed by 'I need all my people with me for us to get free,' however that tweet was later deleted. 
'I deleted that tweet about riches... the wealth is in our love of family and our brothers and our service to God ... let's rise up... let's communicate,' West explained.
'Let's stop killing each other ... let's show God that we are Gods people ... my ego gets the best of me too... God doesn't measure us by money in his kingdom ... let's love each other... I love my brothers and I miss my friends ... real talk,' West continued. 
'I'm waiting to meet with [Shawn] Carter also,' West then tweeted, referring to Jay-Z.
'I'm not industry bro ... I don't care... I'm in service to Christ ... we need world healing ... I miss my brothers... I refuse to argue with black men on labels we don't own... even twitter', West said in another jumbled tweet.
West then went on to discuss other concerns and pleaded for unity among his peers.
'No more dissing each other on labels we don't own,' he requested.  
West's issues with Steve Stoute became clearer when he tweeted an image of a headline in which the music exec said, 'I don't want anybody black running around voting for Kanye West'
West's issues with Steve Stoute became clearer when he tweeted an image of a headline in which the music exec said, 'I don't want anybody black running around voting for Kanye West'
Kanye West, Steve Stoute and Dr Dre are pictured together here in 2011
Kanye West, Steve Stoute and Dr Dre are pictured together here in 2011
Late into the evening on Monday, the tweets kept pouring in making little sense
Late into the evening on Monday, the tweets kept pouring in making little sense 
West ended up suing Sony/ATV-owned EMI Music Publishing, Universal Music Group, Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam in January 2019 as he tried to get out of his contract.
The suit was ultimately settled for an undisclosed amount in October. 
West then went on to share a screenshot of a post from Instagram account @balleralert, featuring a conversation between NBA star Kevin Durant and businessman Steve Stoute in which they discourage Black Americans from voting for the rapper in this year's general election. 
'Steve Stoute is a good man ... this is my brother ... I'm disappointed with a lot of his recent decisions but Steve is my brother... I understand bro,and I'm here for life,' West tweeted. 
On Friday, West was told that he does not qualify to be on the presidential ballot in battleground state of Wisconsin after missing a filing deadline.
The decision was made by Brown County Circuit Judge John Zakowski who ruled in favor of the Wisconsin Elections Commission.
West had filed a lawsuit against the elections commission over the previous decision to bar him from the ballot because his nomination papers were submitted 14 seconds after the 5pm deadline on August 4.
In West's case, Zakowski ruled that the state elections commission was correct in determining that the musician narrowly missed a 5pm filing deadline to get on the presidential ballot. 
West (pictured at a South Carolina rally in July) does not qualify to be on the presidential ballot in battleground Wisconsin after missing a filing deadline, a judge ruled late Friday
West (pictured at a South Carolina rally in July) does not qualify to be on the presidential ballot in battleground Wisconsin after missing a filing deadline, a judge ruled late Friday
Kanye West kicked off Wisconsin presidential ballot
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'The unfortunate fact is this dispute could have been avoided had the West representatives simply arrived earlier,' the judge said. 
'Candidates need to plan ahead and arrive in time to get into the building and file the papers in the office of the commission prior to the deadline, there are no exceptions under the statute or the relevant case law.'
West had argued that the deadline did not expire until 5.01pm and regardless of the timing, commission staffers still accepted the papers. 
The commission voted that West had missed the deadline either by a few seconds or several minutes.
West announced a presidential bid in July, saying he's seeking the nation's highest office on a ticket he calls the 'Birthday Party'.
Democrats claim Republicans are pushing West's candidacy in swing states to siphon the Black vote from Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

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