Jay Z Weighs Into Tidal Vs. Spotify Debate, Defends Streaming Service Against Critics

Hova isn't happy. Jay Z sent a series of tweets Sunday defending his streaming music company, Tidal, and reminding his detractors that successful businesses aren't built overnight. His comments came amid the revelation that, nearly one month after a high-profile news conference announcing Tidal, few people seem to be using it.

Tidal has been advertised as the by-artists, for-artists solution to digital music options like Apple's Beats and Spotify, which pay artists only a fraction of the profit when their work is sold. But a monthly $20 fee and the news that only 200,000 people have subscribed to Tidal in the last month have contributed to growing skepticism around the country. Enter Jay Z.

“The iTunes Store wasn't built in a day. It took Spotify 9 years to be successful. ... We are here for the long haul,” wrote the artist who was born Shawn Carter. “Please give us a chance to grow & get better. There are many big companies that are spending millions on a smear campaign. We are not anti-anyone, we are pro-artist & fan. We made Tidal for fans. We have more than just music. We have video, exclusive concerts, tickets for events early, live sports! Tidal is where artists can give their fans more without the middlemen.”

Jay Z went on to remind followers that Tidal is trying to build a “global community” while giving artists “a platform to connect with their most loyal fans.” But the Jigga man's rant came only days after Tidal fell out of the top 700 most downloaded apps in the United States.