Today, Jay Z’s music streaming site has announced that they now have a new co-owner (to join the many others). Lil Wayne, one of the most respected and hardest-working rappers in hip-hop history, has signed on to promote Tidal.
As if his signing on as a partial owner of the (seemingly) artist-first platform wasn’t going to make enough of a splash, the rapper has premiered a new song exclusively on Tidal. “Glory” is the first single from the hip-hop star’s upcoming album FWA (Free Weezy Album). Wayne says that his FWA record is exactly what it sounds like—a full album he intends to give away to fans. The rapper can’t put any albums up for sale right now, as he is in the middle of a $51 million lawsuit with his record label, Cash Money, which doesn’t look like it will be ending anytime soon. Never one to sit back and take time off, he is still constantly working, and all that music has to go somewhere.
Tidal subscribers will be able to hear “Glory” before it gets released anywhere else, and the company has also stated that at some point in the future, Wayne will also be performing a show (called “Tidal X”) for members only, though where and when such a concert will take place hasn’t been stated. Such a live show must be what a statement revealing the rapper’s involvement meant when it said that he is “committed to creating unique experiences for music fans around the world.”
“TIDAL is a great way to share music directly with fans,” said Lil Wayne via the statement. “I’m hyped for people to hear my latest track and can’t wait to show fans love through a special TIDAL X.”
Wayne joins the sixteen other previously announced musicians—Alicia Keys, Arcade Fire, Beyoncé, Calvin Harris, Chris Martin of Coldplay, Daft Punk, Deadmau5, Jack White, Jason Aldean, J. Cole, Jay Z, Kanye West,Madonna, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, and Usher, if you needed a refresher—as a co-owner of the service. The rapper has a huge following and millions of fans around the world, which Jay Z and company are hoping will find their way over to Tidal now that he’s a member.