Chance the Rapper Reveals Apple Paid $500K for 'Coloring Book'
Chance the Rapper is clearing the air about his relationship with Apple Music. The Grammy-winning MC took to Twitter on Friday (March 17) to explain his ties to the tech giant’s music streaming service.
“I never felt the need to correct folks on my relationship with @apple but now that more people have tried to discredit my independence, I wanna clear things up,” he tweeted.
He went on to reveal that Apple Music paid him $500,000 to exclusively stream his 2016 mixtape Coloring Book. “@apple gave me half a mil and a commercial to post Coloring Book exclusively on applemusic for 2 weeks,” said Chance. “That was the extent of my deal, after 2 weeks it was on SoundCloud for free. I needed the money and they’re all good people over there.”
Chance decided to disclose the information after detractors tried to discredit his claims of independence. “I feel like if I didnt clear it up people would keep trying to discredit all the work we did to make Coloring Book what it became,” he added. “I think artist can gain a lot from the streaming wars as long as they remain in control of their own product. I just wanna remain transparent. Folks out there without a deal need to know they’re doing everything right just keep at it. If you come across oprtunities to work with good people, pick up cash and keep your integrity I say Do It.”
I wanna clear things up. @apple gave me half a mil and a commercial to post Coloring Book exclusively on applemusic for 2 weeks https://t.co/dMWwptrHHH
— Lil Chano From 79th (@chancetherapper) March 17, 2017
That was the extent of my deal, after 2 weeks it was on SoundCloud for free. I needed the money and they're all good people over there https://t.co/5kIhv0YaKS
— Lil Chano From 79th (@chancetherapper) March 17, 2017
Chance had not previously detailed the terms of his deal with Apple Music.
In February, when Katie Couric asked him how he managed to make money without selling any of his projects in the traditional sense, he cited concert ticket sales and merchandise as his main sources of income.
“Luckily, I have a very successful merchandise business,” he said. “I sell merchandise online at ChanceRaps.com. That’s my main revenue. Also, you can buy tickets to any of my shows on ChanceRaps.com. And, reinvesting in myself and being faithful to my consumers and my God, I’m always covered.”
Released in May of last year, Coloring Book made history as the first streaming-only project to chart on the Billboard 200. It went on to help the Chicago-based rapper win three Grammys, including Best Rap Album.