Kanye West cuts ties with Jay-Z's Tidal, threatens legal action over money owed

His next album will likely be available 'everywhere'

(Getty)

They were once such good friends they considered themselves brothers, but Jay-Z and Kanye West's relationship appears to have fractured of late.

It started in Sacramento at the end of 2016 when Kanye West called out Jay and his wife Beyoncé on stage during his tumultuous Saint Pablo tour, suggesting Hov might send assassins after him.

Jay responded to this on his new album 4:44 last week, also claiming that he misguidedly bankrolled Kanye's tour, but apparently Kanye believes it is he who is owed money.

First reported by TMZ and verified by Variety, West's attorneys have sent letters to Tidal, owned by Jay-Z, demanded $3 million he claims to be owed for marketing and video production costs.

“Notice has been given that [West] considers the exclusivity deal terminated,” a source told Variety, claiming that West's next release will now not be a Tidal exclusive but will stream "everywhere".

They said $3 million is "chump change" for Tidal given its recent $200 million injection from Sprint.

“Tidal’s willingness to spar with an artist purportedly responsible for attracting 1.5 million new subscribers is perplexing,” James Sammataro, national head of Miami-based entertainment practice Stroock & Stroock & Lavan (not affiliated to either party), told Variety.

"Given all of the negativity surrounding Tidal from accusations of inflated subscriber numbers, a turnstile of CEOs, and recent dismay with ‘4:44’s’ release strategy — even Snoop Dogg elected publicly for a pirated copy of ‘4:44′ rather than subscribe — a lawsuit over a $3 million debt does not seem to be worth the fight."