El-P Accuses Spotify of Not Protecting Artists Against Fraud

El-P (of Run the Jewels) has taken to Twitter to criticize Spotify’s lack of protection for artists against fraud. When a fan pointed out that someone else had uploaded new music under El-P’s name to Spotify, the rapper replied, “No matter how many times I pay my lawyer to take them down, Spotify just doesn’t care enough to not let other people upload songs to my page or my albums, that I own to theirs.” Later, he clarified, “What I mean is I regularly have to send take down notices not only for people using my name for their music and it appearing on my artist page but for people uploading my albums to their page and assumedly having my money diverted to them until we catch it.”

In subsequent tweets, he continued: “For those that don’t know, the rules Spotify have set forth are as follows: If someone uploads music in your name to your or your music to theirs fraudulently, your only recourse is to issue a takedown by a lawyer. Spotify doesn’t help. This happens to me almost monthly.” In response to a suggestion that Spotify implement a verification process to alleviate such fraud, El-P said, “This is all I’m asking for.” He added that he does not have the same issues with Apple Music. “Apple has a relationship with the owners of the music and a more secure process on how to deliver your content,” he tweeted. “Sometimes stuff slips through the cracks but it’s nothing like Spotify.”

Find some of the tweets below.

Spotify’s website features a copyright infringement reporting form, as well as an email and mailing address for their legal department.

Pitchfork has reached out to Spotify and El-P’s respective representatives for comment.