TikTok

Why Aren’t Drake’s Songs On TikTok?

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Millions of people have developed the subconscious habit to open TikTok first thing in the morning, and if that’s you, you might notice that TikTok sounds different today, February 1: Drake is among many artists whose catalogs are no longer available under the “Sounds” tab to soundtrack a TikTok.

Here’s why.

Why Aren’t Drake’s Songs On TikTok?

In short, Universal Music Group (UMG) wasn’t bluffing. On Tuesday, January 30, UMG posted an open letter to address its expiring contract with TikTok.

“In our contract renewal discussions, we have been pressing them on three critical issues — appropriate compensation for our artists and songwriters, protecting human artists from the harmful effects of AI, and online safety for TikTok’s users,” it reads, in part. UMG additionally relayed that “TikTok attempted to bully us into accepting a deal worth less than the previous deal” during negotiations, leading to UMG no longer licensing UMG artists’ catalogs to TikTok.

UMG is one of the most vast label umbrellas in music. So, while Drake is signed to Republic Records, Republic falls under the UMG umbrella. Therefore, Drake’s music was stripped from TikTok.

TikTok released its own (much shorter) statement on Tuesday, as seen below:

“It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters.

Despite Universal’s false narrative and rhetoric, the fact is they have chosen to walk away from the powerful support of a platform with well over a billion users that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent.

TikTok has been able to reach ‘artist-first’ agreements with every other label and publisher. Clearly, Universal’s self-serving actions are not in the best interests of artists, songwriters and fans.”

Goodbye Taylor Swift, Drake, Billie Eilish, And So On: UMG Has Officially Removed Its Artists’ Music From TikTok

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It happened: Universal Music Group has removed its artists’ songs from TikTok. As of today (February 1), official songs from artists signed to UMG labels no longer appear under the “Sounds” tab on the TikTok app, and previously published videos that featured those songs now have muted audio.

Impacted artists include Taylor Swift, Drake, The Weeknd, Bad Bunny, SZA, Olivia Rodrigo, Steve Lacy, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, Harry Styles, Rosalía, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Adele, U2, Elton John, J Balvin, Pearl Jam, Bob Dylan, Post Malone, and many others.

TikTok and UMG had a licensing agreement that expired yesterday (January 31), and the day before it did, there were clear indications that negotiations on a new contract were not going well.

UMG shared an open letter about the situation, which read in part:

“As our negotiations continued, TikTok attempted to bully us into accepting a deal worth less than the previous deal, far less than fair market value and not reflective of their exponential growth. How did it try to intimidate us? By selectively removing the music of certain of our developing artists, while keeping on the platform our audience-driving global stars.

TikTok’s tactics are obvious: use its platform power to hurt vulnerable artists and try to intimidate us into conceding to a bad deal that undervalues music and shortchanges artists and songwriters as well as their fans.

We will never do that.”

TikTok then shared a response that reads in full:

“It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters.

Despite Universal’s false narrative and rhetoric, the fact is they have chosen to walk away from the powerful support of a platform with well over a billion users that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent.

TikTok has been able to reach ‘artist-first’ agreements with every other label and publisher. Clearly, Universal’s self-serving actions are not in the best interests of artists, songwriters and fans.”

At the moment, it’s not clear when or if a new licensing agreement between TikTok and UMG will be reached, and when/if the artists’ music will return to TikTok.

Which UMG Artists Will Be Removed From TikTok?

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Beef between two major media companies was made public yesterday (January 30), and the feud could have a noteworthy impact on the day-to-day content people consume.

TikTok and Universal Music Group have a licensing agreement that expires today, and this agreement allows UMG songs to appear on the TikTok platform and be utilized in videos from TikTok users. Negotiations on a new contract have apparently been going poorly, as indicated by the open letters both companies shared criticizing each other. If a new deal isn’t reached, music by UMG artists could soon leave TikTok.

Which UMG Artists Will Be Removed From TikTok?

Let’s start by looking at what UMG is: Broadly speaking, it’s a massive company that owns a ton of recognizable record labels, including but not limited to Interscope, Geffen, Capitol, Def Jam, Island, Polydor, Republic, and Virgin Music Group.

So, presumably, in the event that a new licensing agreement is not reached, all acts on those labels would see their music leave TikTok. That includes so many hit-making artists, like Taylor Swift, Drake, The Weeknd, Bad Bunny, SZA, Steve Lacy, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, Harry Styles, Rosalía, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Adele, U2, Elton John, J Balvin, Pearl Jam, Bob Dylan, and Post Malone.

Those artists have an estimated 950 trillion streams between them (note: exaggerated estimate for comedic effect only), and a ton of beloved acts not even mentioned above are also under the UMG umbrella. So, should their music be wiped off of TikTok, it would be a noticeable loss for the platform’s users.

Why Is UMG Removing Its Artists From TikTok?

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If you’ve been on TikTok anytime in the past couple of days, the odds are high you’ve seen some of your favorite creators fretting about an upcoming change that could result in devastating potentially millions of videos on the platform. If TikTok can’t reach a deal to renew its music licensing agreement with Universal Music Group, the label says it plans to pull its entire catalog from the app, resulting in any video utilizing UMG artists’ songs to be muted, beginning when the agreement expires today. Otherwise, TikTok could open itself to legal liability for copyright infringement. So…

Why Is UMG Removing Its Artists From TikTok?

In an open letter published on the company’s website on Tuesday (January 30), UMG expresses a number of concerns about an ongoing partnership with the app. Chief among them is ensuring fair monetary value for its artists’ work as TikTok seeks to launch its own music-based business (naturally). Meanwhile, UMG also says it has concerns about hate and harassment on the app and TikTok not taking a firm stance when it comes to “AI”-generated works, a controversial topic these days.

UMG alleges that “TikTok proposed paying our artists and songwriters at a rate that is a fraction of the rate that similarly situated major social platforms pay” and that it “demanded a contractual right which would allow [AI] content to massively dilute the royalty pool for human artists.” This is while TikTok itself is developing AI tools that’d make it easier to do so.

Labels under UMG include Interscope and its subsidiaries, the Capitol Music Group umbrella, Republic Records, Island Records, Def Jam, and more. UMG artists include some of the biggest in the world: Ariana Grande, Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, Drake, Elton John, Kendrick Lamar, Post Malone, SZA, Taylor Swift, and more.

However, pulling these acts from TikTok could be risky for the label as well; the app has increasingly become one of the biggest drivers for new singles and artists to gain popularity. For example, JID, who is signed to Dreamville under Interscope, has experienced a massive surge of interest in his song “Surround Sound” due to a TikTok trend in which creators tape their phones to their ceilings and dance under them (it’s sillly, but hey, it works). Meanwhile, older songs often find second lives on the app, such as The Weeknd’s “Die For You” and Miguel’s “Sure Thing.”

TikTok itself pointed this out in its response, telling Billboard, “It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters. Despite Universal’s false narrative and rhetoric, the fact is they have chosen to walk away from the powerful support of a platform with well over a billion users that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent. TikTok has been able to reach ‘artist-first’ agreements with every other label and publisher. Clearly, Universal’s self-serving actions are not in the best interests of artists, songwriters and fans.”

TikTok recently agreed to a licensing deal with Warner Music Group (of which Uproxx is an independent subsidiary) last July, allowing TikTok to use its catalog on the TikTok Music platform, saying that the deal would benefit artists. It remains to be seen how UMG pulling out will affect its business and artists, but TikTok wouldn’t be getting away unscathed, as a huge part of the appeal for its users is supporting their videos with popular music.

Foggieraw Is Shooting For The Stars On New “Destiny” Single

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More rising artists are utilizing the power of social media like never before, including Foggieraw. Emerging as an online sensation, Foggieraw’s is a story of an artist capitalizing on our technology-driven culture. The rapper-singer has been long taking over TikTok For You Pages worldwide with his viral tracks and captivating videos that have been shared and stitched by the millions.

The Maryland star made waves with his popular track “Psalms 62,” where he spoke the religious text over an instrumental to Alicia Keys’s “You Don’t Know My Name.” The Grammy winner also caught wind of Foggieraw’s interpretation of her production and cosigned his talents. Keys would later appear in a video alongside the rapper while playing the piano as he performed his record. Moreover, this marked the first time Keys cleared “You Don’t Know My Name” for any artist.

As more artists like Ari Lennox, idk, and SZA praise Foggieraw’s skills, he returns with his latest single, “Destiny.” Of course, as with any Foggie release, the vibes are unmatched as he speaks about stepping into his greatness. Further, with a delivery and cadence that is unlike any other on the scene currently, “Destiny” once again sets Foggieraw apart—and up the ladder of success in this industry.

Check out “Destiny” by Foggieraw and let us know what you think of the DMV star’s latest release.

Quotable Lyrics

I got the hottest chick up in the game like Natalie Portman
Think I’m married to the game and never divorcin’
Vibrations, baritone, releasin’ endorphins
I fathered all these clowns, I’m leavin’ ’em orphans, damn, I’m leavin’ ’em, mm

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Fans Call For Azealia Banks To Weigh In On Nicki Minaj & Megan Thee Stallion Beef

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Fans on TikTok have asked for Azealia Banks to weigh in on the current beef between Nicki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion. “Where’s Azealia Banks [3x Shouting Emojis, 2x Sobbing Emojis]. We need you honey,” one commentator wrote on the app. Many other commenters joined in, asking for the controversial musician to weigh in. It remains to be seen if Banks will step into the arena and share her thoughts on the drama that has captured social media’s attention.

Banks has previously stepped in to protect Minaj. When Minaj was feuding with Kanye West over her refusal to clear “New Body”, Banks went after West. “Okay. Now I’m really pissed the f-ck off. Regardless of how I feel about PF2, did fat smelly loser Kanye west really just try step all over Nicki’s release? Did I hear correctly when he tried to take credit for supporting her career?????” Banks wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Read More: Has Drake Responded To Megan Thee Stallion? Fans Wait On Rapper’s Response To “Hiss”

Who Is Roman Zolanski? Fans Discuss Problematic Nicki Minaj Alter Ego

Meanwhile, the current beef has led some fans to take a closer look at “Roman Zolanski”, the alter ego that Minaj occasionally drops verses as. However, many fans are now only learning for the first time that Minaj has never shied from Roman’s name being a play on that of Roman Polanski. Polanski is an Oscar-winning director who is perhaps best known for pleading guilty to statutory rape of a minor. The girl was 13 at the time of the rape and had also been drugged by Polanski.

This has all been thrown into sharp relief after Megan’s diss on “Hiss” which took aim at Minaj’s husband. Kenneth Petty is also a convicted sex offender, having served four years in prison for the attempted rape of a minor in 1996. Some people believe Megan went too far. However, many others are starting to see the many problematic links that Minaj has to child sex offenders.

Read More: Nicki Minaj Seemingly Hits At Pardison Fontaine Infidelity Rumors In Latest Megan Thee Stallion Response

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Burna Boy Mis-Identified In Now-Deleted Grammys Advertisement

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The Grammys will get underway early next month. Ahead of the ceremony’s February 4 airing they’re announcing the various performers that will take the stage as a part of one of the biggest nights in music. They recently unveiled a new line of performers. Luke Combs will take the stage fresh off a year where his cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” was one of the biggest hits. Travis Scott will also be performing, though it’s unclear which of his UTOPIA songs he will deliver.

Burna Boy is also taking the stage following the release of his new album I Told Them… last year. The album featured smash hits like “City Boys” and “Cheat On Me” as well as the 21 Savage collaboration “Sittin’ on Top Of The World.” But after a recent slip-up in a commercial promoting the Grammys, that performance and the entire night could have been under even more scrutiny. In a teaser shared to TikTok announcing the first wave of performers they accidentally used clips of an entirely different artist while confirming Burna Boy’s announcement. Check out the mis-identification below.

Read More: Burna Boy Clarifies Comments On Black Americans

Grammys Make Burna Boy Mistake

This year’s Grammys will be the 6th straight year that Burna Boy has been nominated. His new album is nominated for Best World Music while various songs from it are nominated for Best African Music Performance and Best Melodic Rap Performance. His song “Alone” is also nominated for Best Global Music Performance.

The four new nominations this year brings his total up to 10 all time. So far, he’s only secured one win. During the 63rd Grammys his album Twice As Tall took home the award for Best Global Music Album. Some fans online have suggested that he should cancel his previously announced performance after the recent advertisement mistake. What do you think of the Grammys accidentally mis-identifying Burna Boy in a recent advertisement for this year’s ceremony? Do you think Burna Boy should still perform? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: Burna Boy On Afrobeats: “They Lack Substance”

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Who Is 4Batz? The Viral Singer Behind “act ii: date @ 8”

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Historically speaking, most up-and-coming rappers and singers spend months or years trying to break into the industry before building up enough buzz to finally get recognition by Billboard charts. Jay-Z famously turned away J. Cole after a chance meeting in New York as Cole was trying to give him a CD with the very tunes that would inspire Jay to sign the 2014 Forest Hills Drive rapper years later. With the advent of platforms such as TikTok, however, rappers have been able to break onto the scene with immediate viral success, bypassing the preexisting barriers to the music industry with relative ease.

This is the case for 4batz, who exploded onto the scene with the recent two-pack release of “act I: stickerz 99” and “act ii: date @ 8.” The latter has even landed at No. 16 on Billboard‘s Hot R&B Songs chart. In addition to blowing up seemingly overnight and becoming a viral sensation, the rapper has also received co-signs from massive figures in the hip hop world such as Drake, Timbaland, and more, even appearing on a Facetime call with Kanye West. This meteoric rise has prompted many fans to wonder where he came from and where to follow him for more.

4batz Is A Dallas Native

4batz got his start growing up in Dallas and honed his craft before appearing on the hit web series From The Block. The series, which highlights local artists across the country, showcased the young up-and-coming artist’s skills with a December performance of his second track ever. 4batz shocked viewers around the world with his laid-back melodic sound, as he looks like the kind of rapper Danny Brown might refer to as “rapping like Batman.” Due to his status as a new figure in the music scene, very little is known about 4batz’s early origins. However, the artist will certainly be providing fans with a plethora of new info via lyrics and interviews in the coming months.

His Voice Is Surprising & Unique

The ski mask, gold grills, and general demeanor of 4batz may lead prospective listeners to believe the ensuing music will be full of rough and rugged lyrics about street life and smoking opps. Yet, 4batz has taken his sound in a completely different direction. The 22-year-old artist approaches the mic with a soothing, boyish tenor resembling Frank Ocean or Brent Faiyaz more closely than Chief Keef or DMX.

The melodic flows present within “act ii: date @ 8” have shocked crowds with their laid-back grooves and allowed listeners to lose themselves in the refreshing melodies of 4batz’s pitched-up croons. This juxtaposition between the rapper’s look and sound makes for some of the most creative and unique artistry in modern music and completes a persona that could only have been born and bred in the internet age.

He Touts An Impressive Online Following

Like many modern rappers, 4batz blew up primarily through TikTok before his landmark On The Block performance exposed his music to a wider array of fans. He currently touts an impressive following of just under 300,000 followers on the social media platform. After recently blowing up, 4batz holds 3.8 million monthly Spotify listeners. While these figures may not be impressive when compared to record-breaking artists such as Drake, this is surely a massive accomplishment for a singer with only two released tracks. By these figures, 4batz may be one of the most successful pound-for-pound singers to come out of the internet era.

Fans Are Eagerly Waiting For His Next Move

Based on the naming conventions of 4batz’s first two records, fans are currently anticipating the release of a rumored “act iii” track. It remains unknown whether this titling choice exists only for “act I: stickerz 99” and “act ii: date @ 8” or if he plans to continue the trend. Regardless, whatever the artist does next could make or break his newfound following, cementing him in the music world as more than a flash in the pan. While a full-length album is likely a ways away, the artist will almost surely have new music to please his growing base of listeners in the coming weeks. 4batz may have exploded onto the scene incredibly abruptly. Still, his incredible talent and newfound success have gone a long way toward securing his future in music.

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Doja Cat Speaks On “Woman” Backlash For Her Second Verse

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Doja Cat’s far too familiar with controversy, even when it’s about an old verse that people critique based on her evolving online persona. Moreover, a TikTok user recently went viral for their complaints about the second verse on “Woman”– which, in fact, they love. However, the issue arises for them when it comes to how her relationship with fans and hints at political ideologies ruined the track’s comments. After this made some rounds on the Internet, the Los Angeles native actually responded to this on the social media platform. Specifically, she called attention to how they wrapped an insult in a compliment, which sullies both messages.

“Every f***ing day, I wish that [whispers ‘Doja Cat’] didn’t p*ss me off in the way that she did,” the TikTok user expressed in their video. That was the only clip of the upload that appears in her response, but after looking for some more context, we know what they’re both referring to, as explained above. “I agree,” the “Agora Hills” MC said in her video clap-back, indicating eased tensions before ramping back up. “I feel like the second verse of ‘Woman’ is great. But I feel like that compliment is a giant blanket laid over a huge, warm piece of s**t.”

Read More: Doja Cat Teases Her Vivacious Curves In Black One-Piece

Doja Cat Responds To TikToker’s Back-Handed Compliment: Watch

Despite the backlash and fan divides that she experienced in 2023, she still found an incredible amount of success. Doja Cat’s album Scarlet was a commercial and critical hit despite fan reception splitting due to her alienation of these supporters in many’s eyes. What’s more is that, if new rumors and reports are anything to believe, it’s very possible that 2024 will be just as great of a run. For example, the 28-year-old is rumored to headline Coachella this year, with other names in the rumor mill including Tyler, The Creator and Lana Del Rey.

Meanwhile, here’s an excerpt of the “Woman” verse in question so you can see for yourself if there are any issues. “I can be your lady, I’m a woman, I’m a motherf***er, but they got a problem. Put some babies in your life and take away the drama, put the paper in a picture like a diorama. Gotta face a lot of people of the opposite, ’cause the world told me, ‘We ain’t got the common sense.’ Gotta prove it to myself that I’m on top of s**t, and you would never know a god without the goddesses.” For more news and the latest updates on Doja Cat, stay logged into HNHH.

Read More: Doja Cat Originally Wasn’t A Fan Of “Paint The Town Red”: “It Reminded Me Of, Like, GAP”

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Lil Nas X Claims He’s Returning To God For His New Era

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Lil Nas X is in full promo mode for his new era. Earlier this week the pop star announced that his new single is dropping later this month. It’s his first new single since 2022 when he dropped the sleeper hit “STAR WALKIN” in collaboration with the video game League Of Legends. Lil Nas’ debut album MONTERO dropped back in 2021 and featured multiple smash hits like “MONTERO,” “THATS WHAT I WANT,” and “INDUSTRY BABY” with Jack Harlow.

Now he’s gearing up to release a second album and he’s conjuring some religious imagery in the process. It’s hardly the first time he’s done this. Lil Nas X notoriously got himself into trouble with religious types for conjuring demonic imagery in the music video and promotion for his song “MONTERO.” But this time he’s using religious subject matter in a very different way. That started last year when he claimed he was entering his “Christian era” which didn’t sit well with some of his critics. Check out his new doubling down on that description below.

Read More: Lil Nas X Remixes Nicki Minaj’s “FTCU”: Listen

Lil Nas X In His Christian Era Again

Earlier this week, Lil Nas X shared a new video on TikTok with a peculiar caption. “me returning to god after the industry tried to make me satanic” it reads. Many fans assume he’s just joking, as the rapper is notorious for doing online. He’s likely cracking jokes at the expense of those who criticized his satanic music video and who make conspiracy theories about famous people being involved in cult activity.

Fans of the rapper won’t have to wait long for new content from the rapper. In addition to the new single he’s dropping next week, he also has a documentary coming out. The doc takes fans behind the scenes of his first ever world tour and will hit HBO on January 27. What do you think of Lil Nas X claiming he’s trying to return to god after the music industry made him satanic? Do you think he’s just trolling to promote his new single? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: Lil Nas X Returns To Twitter And Teases A New Era

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