Tidal has claimed Apple pressured the music service to take down a stream for a charity concert during one artist's set. Viewers of the Tidal stream of Lil WeezyAna Fest for children affected by Hurricane Katrina were greeted by an image claiming Apple is "interfering with artistry" and preventing Drake from being broadcast, but reports suggest Apple may not have anything to do with the temporary takedown at all.
The image, which included an apology for "Big Brother's inconvenience," was accompanied by a similar notice on
Twitter, but without any further explanation for why it happened. According
to Page Six, Drake's exclusivity deal with Apple Music meant he could not appear on the rival service's stream, with Apple allegedly threatening to sue Tidal for $20 million.
Buzzfeed suggests this may not be the case. Report sources advise that Apple did not threaten Tidal with any legal action at all, but was decided upon by someone else. Drake's manager, Future the Prince, told
Buzzfeed he made the decision. "Point blank, 100 percent. I made a business decision. Apple doesn't have the power to stop us from being part of a live stream. The only people that have the power to do that are Cash Money and Universal, and they're our partners."
It is unclear exactly why Tidal publicly blamed Apple for the issue, except perhaps as a publicity stunt. A Tidal spokesperson told
Buzzfeed the company "have all the email receipts and written correspondence" relating to the blocked performance, choosing to "keep it classy," but did not provide copies to clarify the situation. Apple has so far declined to comment.
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