Kanye wants to 'rip apart' music industry rules

Kanye West says the music industry is a "broken system that needs to be fixed", and the "balance of power" between artists and labels is "too wide".

In an in-depth interview with Billboard magazine, the star added he wanted to "rip apart" the conventions on how artists get paid.

"You have to adapt," he said. "You can't have old rules for new games."

The rapper said his ultimate goal was for all artists to own the copyright to their recordings.

Shortly after the interview ran on Billboard's website, West announced he was giving all the artists signed to his label, GOOD Music, the 50% share he holds in their master recordings.

That will affect artists including John Legend, Pusha T, Teyana Taylor and Big Sean, who immediately expressed his gratitude on Twitter.

"Thank you!" he write. "This would help so much."

West has previously explained how significant it is for an artist to own their own master recordings.

"When you sign a music deal you sign away your rights," he wrote on Twitter last week. "Without the masters you can't do anything with your own music. Someone else controls where it's played and when it's played. Artists have nothing accept the fame, touring and merch[andise]."

The star added that he wanted to help Taylor Swift gain control of her masters, which were bought by Ariana Grande's manager Scooter Braun in a $300m deal last year, against Swift's wishes.

Setting aside their long-standing feud, West told Billboard: "All artists need to be free and own their rights [and] Taylor Swift deserves that, just like everyone else.

"Scooter Braun is a friend and we'll be having that discussion."

 

 

     

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