Vince Staples Calls Out Spotify for Low Payouts at SXSW

When Spotify booked Vince Staples to perform at their SXSW Spotify House event this week, they probably didn't expect the Long Beach rapper to take the stage and criticize him. Or maybe that's exactly why they booked him.

During his show, Vince took the opportunity to criticize the streaming service for paying artists so little, reports Austin 360. "Shout out to Spotify," he said. "Thank you for giving me this check to make up for what you’ve done to me and all my musical friends."

Later he told fans to look up Spotify's performers on the bill and "listen to your favorite album 1,000, 2,000 times so everybody can get an album sale.”

Apparently Vince was pretty bristly during the set, starting it off early with, “I know you’re all at SXSW like, ‘Let’s watch the black people rap.'" "I’m not the most polite person on stage,” he said at another point.

The fact that SXSW has changed significantly in the past couple years might be one reason why Vince seemed a bit grumpy. It went from being a showcase of talent to a showcase of brands and marketing, and in the process the festival has become more commercial. It should come as no surprise that Vince is aware of all this.

It's been interesting to watch the Def Jam MC maneuver in an industry that often awards kowtowing and obedience. His relationship with companies like Spotify and Sprite are a good example of his ability to both deflect brands while also profit from and promote them.

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