Snoop Dogg has gotten into a dispute with Spotify over his alleged earnings from one billion streams on the platform.
During an appearance on the Business Untitled podcast in 2023, Tha Doggfather claimed that he had received less than $45,000 in royalties after reaching the impressive milestone.
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“In the streaming world, I could show you right now, they sent me some shit from Spotify where I got a billion streams. My publisher hit me. I said, ‘Break that down. How much money is that?’ That shit wasn’t even $45,000,” he said.
However, it was unclear whether Snoop was referring to the entire amount of money he made from the billion streams or just the publishing royalties (which are divided among all the songwriters, split between the music and lyrics sides).
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Now, Spotify has hit back at the rap legend’s comments, claiming that he should’ve received a much higher sum.
“$45K for a billion streams? It’s well documented that a billion streams on Spotify generates millions of dollars to rights holders. It’s unfortunate to hear that Spotify’s payments didn’t make it through to Snoop,” a spokesperson told TMZ on Thursday (February 27).
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They added: “Snoop’s a legend and, hopefully now that he owns Death Row Records, he’s seeing more of that money.”
Spotify’s rebuttal comes shortly after Snoop Dogg took aim at the company while announcing a new partnership with the Web3 streaming service Tune.FM.
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Asked by Billboard about the deal, he told the publication: “I don’t fuck with Spotify anymore. I’m only on Tune.FM.”
Tune.FM is a decentralized Web3 streaming platform that uses blockchain technology and aims to provide artists with transparency, security and fairness.
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Snoop has already kickstarted the partnership with the release of a new single called “Spaceship Party” and plans to move more of his catalog, including his output on Death Row Records, to the platform.
The alliance came about after the Doggystyle rapper met Tune.FM founder/CEO Andrew Antar at the Crypto Ball in Washington, D.C. last month, which was held in celebration of President Trump’s inauguration.
“We are thrilled to welcome Snoop Dogg as the face of Tune.FM,” Antar told Billboard. “Snoop is the OG pioneer who is always on the cutting edge of technology and new ways of doing business. He totally gets it, and we are ready to take on the world together.”
Despite the event leading to a new business opportunity, Snoop was heavily criticized for performing at the Crypto Ball given his past criticism of Trump.
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He later hit back at his critics, saying: “Y’all can’t hate enough me for me, I love too much. Get your life right, stop worrying about mine. I’m cool, I’m together. Still a Black man. Still a hundred percent Black. I ain’t going nowhere, cuh! I’m right here. Get the Crypto on Crip, though.”
