Prince's Former Attorney L. Londell McMillan Responds to JAY-Z's '4:44' Diss
JAY-Z addresses Prince’s relationship with TIDAL — a company that he promoted publicly prior to his death — on his new album, 4:44. The lyrics arrive on “Caught Their Eyes,” in which he calls the Purple One’s handlers “greedy bastards.”
Now, L. Londell McMillan, the lawyer who represented Prince, is speaking out. “Yes, I heard the track,” he tweeted. “Not focusing on a diss track now. Focused on not letting WBR control masters. I do like the beat. #Emancipation2.”
Yes, I heard the track! Not focusing on a diss track now. Focused on not letting WBR control masters. I do like the beat. #Emancipation2
— L Londell McMillan (@LondellMcMillan) June 30, 2017
Shortly afterwards, McMillan went on a lengthy Twitter spree that continued to address Hov’s lyrics. “2 know #PRINCE’s wishes U really need 2 know the man & know him over time. First, he was a man of God, Musician, Artist & Lover 💟 #NoSellOut,” he wrote. “Anyone who really KNOWS #Prince knows he was only exclusive to God & his music. Never exclusive to one company… Shout out to #Peer2Peer 💟…Let’s Face It, many are trying & have tried to control #Prince’s music & legacy & we are defending against it. Not naming names now b/c NDA…The rich legacy of what #Prince & I fought 2gether over many years from music, lawsuits, legislation, mediations, concerts & charity MATTERS.”
Some people want 2 critic & count other's money & not how much they helped generate for others in TOTAL 4 a great cause, like #NoSellOut 💟
— L Londell McMillan (@LondellMcMillan) July 2, 2017
Anyone who really KNOWS #Prince knows he was only exclusive to God & his music. Never exclusive to one company… Shout out to #Peer2Peer 💟
— L Londell McMillan (@LondellMcMillan) July 2, 2017
Let's Face It, many are trying & have tried to control #Prince's music & legacy & we are defending against it. Not naming names now b/c NDA
— L Londell McMillan (@LondellMcMillan) July 2, 2017
These tweets were seen as a direct response to JAY-Z’s verse on “Caught Their Eyes,” in which he rhymes: “I sat down with Prince, eye to eye / He told me his wishes before he died / Now, Londell McMillan, he must be color blind / They only see green from them purple eyes.”
Later on the track, he adds: “This guy had ‘Slave’ on his face / You think he wanted the masters with his masters? / You greedy bastards / Sold tickets to walk through his house / I’m surprised you ain’t auction off the casket.”
Before his passing, Prince celebrated TIDAL and allowed his HITNRUN album to stream exclusively through the service. “TIDAL is sinking money into it and they need it,” he said. “And my heart is always on because I want them to do well. [Beyoncé and JAY-Z] have taken a lot of abuse, their family has. A historic amount of abuse between the two of ’em. And when we win on this, none of us’ll gloat. He’s not the gloating type anyway. He’s slick with his. He says to brush the dirt off your shoulder.”
However, after he passed, Prince’s estate rejected JAY-Z’s bid for the Purple One’s unreleased music, and then sued Roc Nation for illegal streaming of Prince’s work. According to The New Yorker, it was McMillan who “advised Prince’s estate to sue the parent company of JAY-Z’s streaming service, TIDAL, for copyright infringement.”