Funkmaster Flex gives weight to Drake‘s claims of “payola” amid the rapper’s petition to Universal Music Group.
The media personality shared his thoughts on the potential litigation Tuesday (Nov. 26) on social media, calling out the price of radio play.
“DRAKE IS 100% RIGHT!” exclaimed the 56-year-old on X. “NATIONAL PLAY!” He continued to list alleged prices asserting $350,000 for pop radio, $250,000 for urban radio, $100,000 for mix shows, and between $3,000 to $5,000 a week for a local DJ to play just one song, writing “THIS IS WHY INDEPENDENT ARTIST DONT RISE TO THE TOP!”
While he shared details of the cost of radio play, he distinguished himself from others explaining, “ALL YOU ARTIST KNOW I AINT NEVER TAKE A DIME FROM YOU, YOUR MANAGER OR YOUR LABELS! (BOMB HAS NO PRICE)”
DRAKE IS 100% RIGHT! NATIONAL PLAY!
(PER SONG) DRAKE DONT $ FOR PLAY!
POP / CHR RADIO: $350k
URBAN RADIO: $250K
MIXSHOW: $100K
LOCAL MIXSHOW DIRECTOR: $40k
LOCAL DJ: $3K-5K PER SONG!
(DJS ON THE RADIO 5 DAYS A WEEK)
THIS IS WHY INDEPENDENT ARTIST DONT RISE TO THE TOP!
ALL YOU…
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Funkmaster Flex’s comments echo the accusations Drake leveraged earlier this week against UMG, claiming the music corporation used Spotify to enhance the streaming count and staying power of Kendrick Lamar‘s “Not Like Us.”
In the legal filing, the 38-year-old claims UMG “launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves with a song, ‘Not Like Us,’ in order to make that song go viral, including by using ‘bots’ and pay-to-play agreements.”
“The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue,” detailed the company in a statement responding to the allegations. “We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns. No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.“