Rapper blasts Google, Youtube, Spotify over Tidal criticism

Jay Z has spoken out against those he said are criticizing his new streaming service, Tidal. He lashed out at Google, Youtube, Spotify and a host of others.

While performing at a private show at Terminal 5 in New York for Tidal subscribers, the rapper claimed he was being depicted as 'the bad guy' because he's going against the tide, before facing Google and YouTube for underpaying artists, claiming they 'pay you a tenth of what you supposed to get'. “You know n***as die for equal pay right?  You know when I work I ain't your slave right?” he rapped.

Jay Z also included Beat's co-founder Jimmy Iovine in that list, who was previously accused of trying to lure high profile artists away from Tidal.

Then he even turned on people he called hypocrites, who dared to complain about Tidal's high prices topping off Jay Z's $520 million fortune, when they never complained about filling Steve Jobs' or Phil Knight's pockets when they were buying iPhones and Nikes.

“Oh, n***as are skeptical 'cause they own shit - You bought nine iPhones and Steve Jobs is rich, Phil Knight worth trillions you still bought those kicks,' he said, before rounding on enemy number one: 'Spotify is 9 billion they ain't say sh*t “.

The show was only open to Tidal subscribers who compiled a playlist of the rappers lesser known tracks as part of a competition.

Tidal currently has more than 25 million songs and 75,000 music videos in its library. It is billed as the first artist-owned platform for music and video and the service aims to compete directly with Spotify and Apple's music service, headed by Dr Dre.