Los Angeles, July 17 (IANS) Rapper Birdman is suing Jay-Z and his online music streaming service Tidal for illegally streaming Lil Wayne’s “Free Weezy Album”.
Birdman’s Cash Money Records filed a lawsuit in New York on Thursday against Aspiro AB group, which owns Tidal, WiMP Music and WIMP Inc. for illegally streaming songs from the album, reports ew.com.
Cash Money Records has accused Aspiro AB of tortious interference with contract, unfair competition, and conversion, and sought damages of at least $50 million and injunction of the streaming of the “Free Weezy Album” on Tidal.
Birdman’s label asserts that the defendants knew Wayne had an exclusive recording contract with Cash Money Records that prohibited the rapper from distributing his music without the label’s consent.
Tidal claims Wayne was a co-owner of the tracks and was able to accord consent to the distribution of “Glory”, an exclusive track that debuted in June, and “Free Weezy Album” in exchange for a piece of ownership in the streaming service.
Cash Money Records adds that the absence of control in the release created damaging confusion regarding the label’s role in releasing a record with “tepid reviews.”