Amid label flap, Lil Wayne streams album
The rapper Lil Wayne on Saturday put out a new album as a streaming exclusive amid a heated dispute with his label over release of what he calls his career-capping work.
The hip-hop star said he was distributing "FWA" -- which stands for the "Free Weezy Album," in a nod to one of his myriad nicknames -- exclusively on Tidal, the upstart streaming service in which Lil Wayne is a co-owner.
Timed for the US Independence Day holiday, the album features Lil Wayne in collaborations with artists including fellow hip-hop star Wiz Khalifa, Junior Reid of Jamaican reggae greats Black Uhuru, and Jeezy, another rapper associated with the Southern US school.
The first single of the album, "Glory," is a boastful tale in which Lil Wayne declares, "I'm hotter than Honolulu."
But Lil Wayne, known for his brash persona and large number of tattoos, has yet to release the repeatedly delayed "Tha Carter V," which he has previously hinted would be his final album.
Lil Wayne has accused his label Cash Money, run by former mentor Bryan "Birdman" Williams, of withholding the album as well as financial payments to the rapper.
Lil Wayne -- whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. -- has released four previous Carter albums including "Tha Carter III," which made him the most nominated artist at the 2009 Grammy Awards.
Tidal -- which is co-owned by stars led by rap mogul Jay-Z -- has banked on exclusive material to win subscribers as the market picks up for streaming services.
But Tidal has had mixed success as it goes up against streaming leader Spotify and other competitors including Deezer, Rhapsody, Google Play, Rdio and a new service from tech giant Apple.
Lil Wayne also put out a mixtape, "Sorry 4 the Wait 2," in January amid the delay on "Tha Carter V."