In 2016, a fan of Kanye West decided he would file a lawsuit against the hip-hop artist and Tidal, the music streaming service owned by Jay-Z. In his suit, fan Justin Baker-Rhett claimed they tricked him and other fans into subscribing to the streaming service under false advertisement. That the streaming service, Tidal, was the only place to hear West’s 2016 album, The Life of Pablo. That would later be a lie.
According to Pitchfork, the lawsuit is continuing to move forward. In an 18-page opinion released today and obtained by Pitchfork says that this past Friday, U.S. District Court Judge Gregory Woods granted parts of Tidal’s motions to dismiss the proposed class-action lawsuit initially filed by West’s fan Justin Baker-Rhett in 2016 but denied other parts.
In Baker-Rhett’s suit, he claims West along with his streaming service Tidal tricked the public into subscribing because, according to West, it was the only place to hear his highly anticipated seventh studio album. The judge is allowing the case to move forward relating to a 2016 tweet by West. On his official Twitter page, West tweeted out saying that The Life of Pablo “will never never never be on Apple. And it will never be for sale…You can only get it on Tidal.” Though, six weeks later, the album was available through all music platforms, including Apple.
In a motion to dismiss the case last year, West said that the album was “updated and remixed numerous times, with different vocals, lyrics, and arrangements.” But in a ruling by the Judge, Woods quoted that “Mr. West’s argument is tenuous, and certainly does not pass muster in the context of a motion to dismiss.”
Rhett-Baker’s lawyer Jay Edelson posted on his Twitter page that he plans to deposed of Kanye West writing “I just FaceTimed #kanye, told him I’m his biggest fan. Holey s@ I’m going to depose him. Tidal #privacy suit motion to dismiss denied in relevant part!!!!! #classaction @edelsonpc”
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