Kanye West says his song library was shopped around without his knowledge 'just like' Taylor Swift
Even if West's song catalog was being shopped to potential buyers, the situation would be different than what happened to Swift.
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- Kanye West said in an Instagram story on Tuesday that is music catalog is "not for sale."
- Billboard reported on Monday that his representatives were shopping his library to potential buyers.
- West said the situation is "just like Taylor Swift."
Kanye West, who refers to himself as only Ye these days, said on Tuesday that his song catalog is "not for sale," after Billboard reported otherwise.
"Just like Taylor Swift my publishing is being put up for sale without my knowledge," West wrote in an Instagram story. "Not for sale."
Billboard published a story on Monday reporting that representatives for West had been shopping his publishing library to potential buyers and exploring valuations over the last 10 months, noting that the catalog generates around $5 million a year for West.
A publicist for West did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider ahead of publication. Representatives for West and his publisher, Sony Music Publishing, did not respond to Billboard.
Even if West's library was being put up for sale without his knowledge, the situation would be different than Swift's. Music executive Scooter Braun had acquired Big Machine Label Group and its assets, including the rights to master recordings of Swift's first six albums.
The comparison is sure to raise eyebrows among both artists' fans. A feud between West and Swift goes back to 2009 at the Video Music Awards, when West interrupted Swift's win for best video by a female artist by storming the stage and exclaiming that Beyoncé had "one of the best videos of all time."
West also posted a screenshot of texts between him and an unnamed person.
"Can you ask Gee who is selling my publishing," West wrote in the text, likely referring to his manager Gee Roberson.
The other person replied, "From Gee: Fake news. Of course every publisher wants to pitch there hardest to buy. Smh."