An insider investigation uncovers ties between Jay-Z's streaming service Tidal and alleged fraudster Michael Smith, spotlighting issues of misconduct and favoritism within Roc Nation and its management strategies.
The Web of Allegations: Jay-Z, Tidal, and Michael Smith’s Streaming Fraud Connection
The Web of Allegations: Jay-Z, Tidal, and Michael Smith’s Streaming Fraud Connection
New revelations expose potential misconduct linking Jay-Z’s Tidal, Roc Nation, and indicted figure Michael Smith, raising serious concerns about music industry practices.
In a shocking turn of events, a Roc Nation insider has exposed questionable associations between music mogul Jay-Z, his streaming service Tidal, and Michael Smith, who has recently faced federal criminal charges. The insider's revelations point to a complex scheme allegedly aimed at boosting Roc Nation artists and manipulating streaming metrics, raising significant concerns about ethical practices within the music industry.
The insider, opting to remain anonymous, detailed how Roc Nation obscured its management role over Tidal, allegedly fostering an unfair competitive advantage for its own artists. Michael Smith, currently indicted for a $10 million music streaming fraud scheme, is said to have played a key role in the operations that leveraged artificial intelligence and bots to inflate streaming numbers artificially.
Smith, who was a frequent presence at Tidal events, now finds legal representation through high-profile attorneys linked to Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. The indictment follows previous reports of illicit actions dating back to investigations into Tidal by Norwegian police for potential fraud in 2018 and 2019.
The allegations extend to high-profile Roc Nation artists, including Beyoncé, whose album "Lemonade", released in 2016, is speculated to have benefitted from questionable practices. Investigative efforts from the Norwegian outlet Dagens Næringsliv have previously unearthed substantial evidence, revealing that Tidal had inflated streaming counts for numerous artists, including Beyoncé and Kanye West.
Moreover, the circumstances surrounding Michael Smith's rise from operating medical clinics to engaging in the music business remain murky. Our source suggests there may be underlying ties between Smith’s operations and the music industry, hinting at deeper connections to alleged opioid trafficking.
Smith's history includes previous legal troubles, such as a 2020 indictment concerning Medicare and Medicaid fraud linked to his medical clinics. This ongoing web of claims is compounded by a recent lawsuit accusing Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez of racketeering, raising alarms about the organization's internal management and its affiliations with illegal activities.
As investigations continue and the public scrutiny intensifies, questions surrounding Roc Nation's leadership and the real ownership details of Tidal are coming to the fore. With Jay-Z's own early life rife with allegations of criminal activity, the music industry finds itself at a critical juncture concerning ethics and accountability.
