Kanye West tweets out his record contracts, uploads video of him urinating on a Grammy

Amid a well-publicised dispute with his record labels, Kanye West has tweeted out screenshots of his recording and publishing deals.

“I need every lawyer in the world to look at these,” West added, also referring to the music industry as “modern-day slavery”.

He later posted a video of someone – presumably himself – urinating on a Grammy award, with the caption ‘Trust me … I WONT STOP’.

The string of documents he posted included details of advance payments for his albums, royalty rates, a profit sharing agreement, and several amendments.

They appear to show that West was given a $12m (£9.2m) advance for ‘Yeezus’, his sixth album, and receives royalties of between 14% and 25% on his sales and streams.

The rapper has been temporarily suspended from Twitter, seemingly for sharing the phone number of a journalist, an action that violates Twitter’s rules.

The now-deleted tweet was posted yesterday (Wednesday 16), with Kanye sharing the phone number of a Forbes editor. During a previous interview with Nick Cannon, Kanye called the publication “some of my favourite white supremacists”.

The news of his temporary suspension was shared by former NBA player Rick Fox and right-wing commentator Candace Owens, apparently at Kanye’s request.

West stated he would not be releasing any new music until he is freed from his contracts with Sony and Universal.

Since 2003, Sony-owned label EMI has controlled the rights to the rapper’s music, including an agreement that he “remain actively involved in writing, recording and producing Compositions and Major Label Albums” without retiring.

In January 2019, West sued EMI in an attempt to be released from his contract, provoking a response from the label who sued West for reneging on his obligations to the company. The dispute was eventually settled at the start of this year.

In a now-deleted tweet, West wrote: “I’m not putting no more music out till I’m done with my contract with Sony and Universal … On God … in Jesus name … come and get me.”

“I need to see everybody’s contracts at Universal and Sony,” he said in another tweet. “I’m not gonna watch my people be enslaved … I’m putting my life on the line for my people … The music industry and the NBA are modern day slave ships … I’m the new Moses.”

Kanye previously announced that his forthcoming album ‘Donda’ would be released on July 24, however, nearly two months later the record is still yet to drop.

In the run up to his summer album launch, Kim Kardashian posted a statement about West’s mental health after an ongoing display of concerning behaviour.

I need to see everybody’s contracts at Universal and Sony

I’m not gonna watch my people be enslaved

I’m putting my life on the line for my people

The music industry and the NBA are modern day slave ships

I’m the new Moses

— ye (@kanyewest) September 15, 2020

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