Why Spotify and Apple Music haven't pulled Kanye West's songs

“Is there an actual legal reason to do a takedown on his music? I don’t think so. The hate speech is not in his music. You don’t like this person? Don’t listen to his music. Don’t support him. Don’t let him make money.”

HELEN YU, ESQ

BY WENDY LEE, STAFF WRITER / OCT. 26, 2022 A week after Endeavor Chief Executive Ari Emanuel called for businesses to cut ties with the artist formerly known as Kanye West after his antisemitic remarks, companies such as Adidas and the Gap stopped working with him. But others, including streamers Apple Music, Spotify and Amazon Music, still feature Ye’s music on their playlists. Apple Music and Tidal, which also streams West’s music, did not respond to a request for comment. Amazon Music declined to comment. But industry analysts say the decision to take down Ye’s music is complicated by several factors, including contract requirements streamers may have with record labels and publishers, free speech considerations and whether it is appropriate to take action against an artist’s behavior outside of their music.

LA TIMES: Why Spotify and Apple Music haven't pulled Kanye West's songs

Yu Leseberg Clientele Among the Nominees and Winners of the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards

Yu Leseberg hopes everyone was watching Music's Biggest Night, the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards, last Sunday. We are beyond proud to announce several of our clients were among the winners of this year’s GRAMMY Awards. We would like to say a big congratulations to the following:

1.      Kanye West, “Jesus Is King”, which was awarded Best Contemporary Christian Music Album. Yu Leseberg client, Ty Dolla $ign was a featured artist on “Everything We Need”; and

2.      Thundercat for winning Best Progressive R&B Album with “It Is What It Is” – Ty Dolla $ign was a featured artist on his track, “Fair Chance”.

A big round of applause to all the nominees and winners of the GRAMMY’s. This has been a tough year for many, especially artists in the music industry, and in this time music has become a form of therapy for so many individuals struggling, and we appreciate all the amazing tracks artists have released to help us all get by.

Ty Dolla $ign & J. Cole Hit RIAA Gold With “Purple Emoji”

Gold Certification: May 1, 2020

Yu Leseberg and Helen Yu, Prof. Law Corp has been working with Ty Dolla $ign for a decade now. Today, May 1, 2020, we celebrate the gold certification from RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for his single, “Purple Emoji,” featuring J.Cole  

Helen Yu notes “I’m always amazed and proud of how many hit records he’s been able to garner.” Ty also worked with well-known street artist, Gregory Siff on the cover art for “Purple Emoji.” The Brooklyn born Los Angeles based creative has made a slew of polarizing works of art drawing inspiration from anything like the Black Lives Matter movement to Vans footwear. Siff’s work has been featured in the pages of The New York Times and W Magazine, among many others.

“Purple Emoji” debuted on May 20, 2019, yet the record’s ability to still gain recognition during this (awful and unfortunate) global pandemic, proves how much of an influence Ty has on his fans and the industry. In an interview with Beat 1’s Zane Lowe, Ty explained how “Purple Emoji” came into sonic fruition.

"I was at this studio called Jungle City in New York working on Yandhi with Kanye. And then just turns out Cole was in the room right next to me. When I saw him I was like bro I got something to play you," he said. "I’m like, 'Yo, I just did this one I thought would be crazy for both of us.' So he came in my room, I played it for him immediately and he did his verse in five minutes."

It’s that innate ability to recognize a hit when he hears one coupled with the dexterity of a song making mastermind that has set Ty apart from his peers, and has made his collaborations rise to the top.