Why did Jay-Z give Kanye West $20m? Truth revealed as Tidal dispute escalates

West, 40, is allegedly suing Jay-Z's streaming service for $3m over unpaid bonuses.

Jay Z Kanye West — Jay-Z's Roc Nation is said to have given Kanye West a $20m advance for his Saint Pablo tour Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Roc Nation

Jay-Z claims to have given Kanye West $20m ($15.4m) and now the truth has been revealed.

Opening a can of worms on his new album 4:44, the hip hop mogul addresses his fallout with West on the track Kill Jay-Z.

He raps: "But you got hurt because you did cool by 'Ye/ You gave him 20 million without blinkin'/ He gave you 20 minutes on stage, f**k was he thinkin'?/ 'F**k wrong with everybody?' is what you saying'/ But if everybody's crazy, you're the one that's insane."

While Jay-Z, 47, left an air of mystery surrounding the staggering amount of money, TMZ claims it was actually for West's ill-fated Saint Pablo Tour in 2016.

Sources allege that Jay-Z's management company Roc Nation gave West, 40, an advance to cover expenses for production costs and staff. It is typical for artists to receive payment upfront for tours and albums but it is usually expected to be made back in record and ticket sales.

West performed 41 dates on the North American tour to promote his number one album The Life Of Pablo. However, the Famous rapper was forced to cancel the remaining dates after a shambolic show in Sacramento in December before being admitted to hospital for a reported psychiatric evaluation. During his final show, West unleashed a 20-minute rant in which he slammed Beyonce and accused Jay-Z of having "killers" aka hitmen.

Kanye West was not able to complete the Saint Pablo tour due to being hospitalised Reuters

Tensions between the rap icons is showing no signs of improvement following reports that West is suing Jay-Z's streaming service Tidal. In a dispute about money, West alleges that the music platform owes him $3m in unpaid bonuses and payment for music videos. However, Tidal claims West has not fulfilled his contract regarding the videos adding that the rapper is still under an exclusive deal with the service.

In June, it was reported that West plans on launching a new tour in 2018 with an "improved or replaced" floating stage, which formed the centrepiece of the Saint Pablo tour. The Mercy rapper has appeared to be happier in recent weeks, enjoying a BBQ with rapper friend 2 Chainz and joining the UCLA men's basketball team for an off-season game on 3 July.