The legendary radio personality shared his knowledge of current payola tactics with exact figures and added, “This is why independent artists don’t rise to the top.”
NOVEMBER 27, 2024
Flex hopped on X earlier today (Nov. 26) to inform the world of his stance and provide some context as to why he feels that way. “DRAKE IS 100% RIGHT!” He wrote. “NATIONAL PLAY!”
To bolster his point, Flex began sharing some price points for what seems to be what artists/labels have to pay to get their music out into the world. $350,000 for pop radio, $250,000 for urban radio, $100,000 for mix shows, and between $3,000 to $5,000 a week for a local DJ to play just one song. “THIS IS WHY INDEPENDENT ARTIST DONT RISE TO THE TOP!” he added.
DRAKE IS 100% RIGHT! NATIONAL PLAY!
(PER SONG) DRAKE DONT $ FOR PLAY!
POP / CHR RADIO: $350k
URBAN RADIO: $250K
MIXSHOW: $100K
LOCAL MIXSHOW DIRECTOR: $40k
LOCAL DJ: $3K-5K PER SONG!
(DJS ON THE RADIO 5 DAYS A WEEK)THIS IS WHY INDEPENDENT ARTIST DONT RISE TO THE TOP!
ALL YOU…
— Funk Flex !!!!! (@funkflex) November 26, 2024
Flex ended his message with a note that he’s never been involved with pay to play practices. “ALL YOU ARTIST KNOW I AINT NEVER TAKE A DIME FROM YOU, YOUR MANAGER OR YOUR LABELS!” he wrote before adding that he’ll be discussing the situation on the radio very soon.
Flex has always been adamant about his hate for payola. We spoke to the legendary DJ/radio personality back in 2021 and he told us about learning about the world of pay-for-play. “When I’m on the radio, I’m seeing the same guys who gave me the money before for another DJ. And they’re like, ‘Take our fucking money, you piece of shit.’ And I’m like, ‘No, I don’t do that,’” said Flex. “That took me a long time to reinforce that that’s not what I do.”
Flex went on to say that several labels, including Bad Boy and Roc-A-Fella, also offered him money in his early radio days but eventually gave up because he wouldn’t turn. “When that doesn’t work, then they build a relationship,” he added.
Drake recently initiated a petition against Universal Music Group and Spotify in a Manhattan court. His Frozen Moments LLC has accused the record label, that also distributes his music, of taking part in an illegal “scheme” to boost the streaming numbers of Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.”
A day after this filing, Drake accused his record label of defamation. He’s alleged a “pay-to-play” operation that involves iHeartRadio. “UMG designed, financed, and then executed a plan to turn ‘Not Like Us’ into a viral mega-hit with the intent of using the spectacle of harm to Drake and his businesses to drive consumer hysteria and, of course, massive revenues,” said Drake’s legal team in the latest filing.
