Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz
Jay-Z has officially hit the half-century mark, and to celebrate, he is giving the gift of his music. The legendary rapper turned 50 today (Dec.4), and to observe his trip around the sun, his entire music catalog returned to Spotify, bringing to an end a years-long standoff between Jigga and the music streaming service.
Hov and his team didn’t announce the move, but Spotify made sure to update its users by sharing the great news in a Tweet while wishing the “Song Cry” crafter happy birthday.
Back in April 2017, Mr.Carter unexpectedly pulled most of his discography from the service without any explanation, a move that could have cost him millions at the time. Some believed that he decided to take away his hits because he wasn’t allegedly feeling the fact that Spotify’s free subscription pays out less to artists than its premium subscription tier. That possibly led him to create his own streaming service, Tidal 2 years earlier.
Many also believe the move was a way to help lure users to Tidal before the release of his critically acclaimed album, 4:44. Whatever the case may be, now Spotify users can enjoy Watch The Throne, The Black Album, Reasonable Doubt, Hard Knock Life, and more.
Thank you, and happy birthday, Jay-Z.
Photo: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz
