Kanye West Invokes Taylor Swift, Says “My Publishing Is Being Put Up for Sale Without My Knowledge”

Kanye West is refuting a report from Billboard that he “has been quietly and intermittently shopping his publishing catalog.” In an Instagram story (viewed by Pitchfork), the rapper wrote:

JUST LIKE TAYLOR SWIFT
MY PUBLISHING IS BEING PUT UP FOR SALE WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE
NOT FOR SALE

West, of course, is alluding to Scooter Braun’s controversial 2019 acquisition of Taylor Swift’s Big Machine catalog. At the time, Swift called the acquisition her “worst case scenario.” Braun’s Ithaca Holdings LLC has since sold the master rights to Swift’s first six studio albums to a private equity company called Shamrock Holdings. Swift, meanwhile, has gone about re-recording her LPs, starting with Fearless and Red.

In its report, Billboard cited sources who said, “Over the past 10 months, representatives for West have met selectively with prospective buyers to explore what kind of valuation his song catalog could fetch.” Billboard has estimated that the songs in the Kanye West catalog could generate upward of $13.25 million annually in publishing royalties. In addition, the publication estimated that the catalog could be sold at a $175 million valuation.

West’s catalog is currently administered by Sony Music Publishing, according to Billboard. Pitchfork has reached out to representatives for West and Sony Music Publishing for comment and more information.

Back in 2020, West tweeted out his alleged record contracts with Universal Music Group as part of an effort to buy back his master recordings from the company. Revisit Pitchfork’s “What Does Kanye Actually Gain (or Lose) From Sharing His Record Contracts?”

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