Kanye West assails music business in video showing man urinating on Grammy
West, 43, one of the biggest and most controversial names in rap with 21 Grammy awards, said this week he would not put out any more new music “till I’m done with my contract with Sony and Universal.”
Rapper Kanye West went on a Twitter spree on Wednesday, complaining about his contracts with music companies and posting a video depicting a man urinating on one of his Grammy awards.
The "Heartless" rapper, who has bipolar disorder, posted pages from 10 of his contracts and accused entertainment companies of exploiting Black artists.
"This is what me Kanye West deal looks like today ... I PRAY IN THE NAME OF JESUS THAT IT DONT LOOK LIKE THIS TOMORROW," he tweeted after posting the contracts that cover fees and royalties.
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"All the musicians will be free," he added over a six-hour period on Twitter.
West then posted a video that showed a person urinating on a Grammy Award that was placed in a toilet, with the caption "Trust me... I WON'T STOP." The video racked up more than 13 million views in a few hours.
West, 43, one of the biggest and most controversial names in rap with 21 Grammy awards, said this week he would not put out any more new music "till I'm done with my contract with Sony and Universal."
He also said he wanted to own the master recordings of all his work, called the music industry "modern day slave ships," and added, "I am the new Moses."
No spokesperson for West could be reached for comment.
Universal Music Group, which owns West's Def Jam label, did not return a request for comment on Wednesday. Sony Music, which handles his song publishing interests, declined to comment.
Concern has grown in recent months over the mental health of West, who said in 2018 that he suffered from bipolar disorder. The rapper in early July declared he was running for U.S. president in the November election under his self-styled Birthday Party, but has done little campaigning.
His wife Kim Kardashian in July asked for compassion and empathy for West, calling him a "brilliant but complicated person."
Bipolar disorder is a form of mental illness characterized by unusual mood swings between extreme energy and activity and depression, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. It can be treated with a combination of medication and therapy.
