Earlier this week, De La Soul announced their first six albums would soon be available on streaming services—which was great news for fans, but not so much for the legendary hip-hop group. The members took to social media Tuesday claiming they would receive only 10 percent of the revenue generated from the music streams; the other 90 percent would go to their former label Tommy Boy.
"Dear Fans, the music WILL be released digitally," De La Soul wrote in an Instagram post. "After 30 years of good music and paying their debt to Hip Hop, De L Soul unfortunately will not taste the fruit of their labor."
De La Soul members Posdnuos, Trugoy, and Maseo asked their fans to not "feed the vultures," and instead cop their non-Tommy Boy projects, And the Anonymous Nobody…(2016) and The Grind Date (2004). But the group's supporters weren't content with simply boycotting the upcoming digital releases; they're now calling for a full-on boycott of Tommy Boy Records.
Nas shared an Instagram photo featuring the hashtag #TommyBoycott. The rapper captioned the post with a GZA's line from the 1995 song "Labels," in which GZA and RZA took aim at shady music imprints.
Other music figures such as Pete Rock, Jarobi White of A Tribe Called Quest, and Questlove have also joined the boycott.
"I been hoping and wishing and praying for their back catalogue to be made available on digital media FOREVER—but not like this," Questlove wrote. "@tommyboyrecords This narrative has been going on since the blues, since jazz, since rock n roll, since disco, since soul—I'm proud of De La for using their voice. Let’s fix this. For the greater good. Let’s be respectful and fair. 90 percent to the label and 10 percent to the artist is not fair."
It appears Tidal is also standing by De La Soul. On Wednesday afternoon, the group announced the streaming giant has agreed to not to feature their catalog "until this matter has been resolved."
"Dear Fans, the music WILL be released digitally," De La Soul wrote in an Instagram post. "After 30 years of good music and paying their debt to Hip Hop, De L Soul unfortunately will not taste the fruit of their labor."
De La Soul members Posdnuos, Trugoy, and Maseo asked their fans to not "feed the vultures," and instead cop their non-Tommy Boy projects, And the Anonymous Nobody…(2016) and The Grind Date (2004). But the group's supporters weren't content with simply boycotting the upcoming digital releases; they're now calling for a full-on boycott of Tommy Boy Records.
Nas shared an Instagram photo featuring the hashtag #TommyBoycott. The rapper captioned the post with a GZA's line from the 1995 song "Labels," in which GZA and RZA took aim at shady music imprints.
Other music figures such as Pete Rock, Jarobi White of A Tribe Called Quest, and Questlove have also joined the boycott.
"I been hoping and wishing and praying for their back catalogue to be made available on digital media FOREVER—but not like this," Questlove wrote. "@tommyboyrecords This narrative has been going on since the blues, since jazz, since rock n roll, since disco, since soul—I'm proud of De La for using their voice. Let’s fix this. For the greater good. Let’s be respectful and fair. 90 percent to the label and 10 percent to the artist is not fair."
It appears Tidal is also standing by De La Soul. On Wednesday afternoon, the group announced the streaming giant has agreed to not to feature their catalog "until this matter has been resolved."
