New Details Emerge in DJ Khaled Album Sales Controversy

The recent chart drama involving DJ Khaled and Tyler, the Creator has created tensions at Sony Music—the owner of Khaled and Tyler’s respective labels, Epic and Columbia Records.

According to a new report by Variety, sources say the music conglomerate is attempting to “keep the peace” between the sibling imprints following the highly publicized album bundle controversy. As previously reported, Khaled allegedly became “furious” with his label after his new album, Father of Asahd, debuted at No. 2 behind Tyler’s IGOR. The DJ/producer hinted at his frustration in a since-deleted video posted on social media.

“I make albums so people can play it and you actually hear it,” Khaled said. “You know, driving your car, you hear another car playing it. You know, go to the barbershop, you hear them playing it. You know, turn the radio on, and you hear them playing it. It’s called great music. It’s called albums that you actually hear the songs. Not no mysterious shit that you never hear it.”

Though many were convinced he was shading Tyler, sources told Complex that Khaled was primarily upset with Billboard, which he reportedly intends to sue over disqualified album sales.

Khaled’s team claimed he failed to secure the No. 1 spot because Billboard discounted more than 100,000 of his album sales that came from energy drink bundle deals. Billboard later confirmed it disqualified an undisclosed number of Khaled’s sales after discovering “strange anomalies in the data”; however, Tyler’s bundle purchases counted toward IGOR‘s first-week tally.

Per the New York Times:

After scrutinizing the two campaigns, Billboard gave the victory to Tyler. The magazine disqualified most of DJ Khaled’s bundled purchases, suspecting that some of the marketing by Shop.com and its corporate parent, Market America, had crossed a line by encouraging unauthorized bulk sales.

Sources say Khaled’s dissatisfaction isn’t simply ego-driven. It also came down to investment. Insiders told Variety that Epic had spent $5 million to record and promote Father of Asahd, and that “Khaled presumably expected to get what he (or, more likely, Epic) paid for.” That hefty sum is largely attributed to the album’s stacked guest appearances, which included JAY-Z, John Legend, Lil Wayne, and Nipsey Hussle. 

It was reported that Khaled took his frustration out on Epic chairman Sylvia Rhone, allegedly throwing a “temper tantrum” when he confronted her about the chart fiasco. But sources say the reports of Khaled’s outburst were false, and that he was simply “passionate and concerned.”