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Kanye West reportedly quits Tidal over money dispute
Kanye West has been one of Tidal's biggest champions: he joined the company the moment Jay-Z relaunched its service, and The Life of Pablo was one of the streaming music service's largest (if temporary) exclusives. However, it appears that the relationship has... soured. TMZ sources claim that Kanye has left the company over a payment squabble involving both Life of Pablo and music videos. It's reportedly a messy dispute, and certainly not what Tidal wanted in an already tumultuous period for the business.
Jay Z launches a venture capital firm to back startups
Jay Z was rumored to be launching a venture capital firm, and it looks like the scuttlebutt was true. His company Roc Nation has formed Arrive, a VC "platform" that will help younger startups build their brands and businesses. Roc is betting that its experience in fostering artists and athletes will translate to the corporate world. Arrive doesn't have a fund of its own just yet, but one is in the works.
Prince estate sues Roc Nation over Tidal streaming rights
Jay Z debuted his version of Tidal after buying the streaming service for $56 million last year. In the months since he took over, the company has struggled to compete with the likes of Spotify and Apple Music despite a list of high-profile exclusive releases. Now Tidal is locked in a legal battle with Prince's estate. The late artist's label and publishing businesses are suing Jay Z's Roc Nation over the music subscription service's streaming of Prince's entire catalog.
Skullcandy debuts Jay-Z-approved Roc Nation Aviator headphones
While they may not exactly look like it, these new Roc Nation Aviator headphones are fairly understated compared to some of Skullcandy's other offerings, and it looks like you have Roc Nation co-founder Jay-Z to thank for that. Available in your choice of three different colors, the Aviators sport a foldable design and an "optics-inspired" polycarbonate speaker housing, along with a pair of 40mm full-range mylar drivers with neodymium magnets, and a tangle-free nylon cable complete with an in-line mic and controls. Still no word on a price just yet, but Skullcandy says the headphones will be available sometime in June. Oh, and envy had absolutely nothing to do with the creation of these.