The Weeknd demands Kanye’s $8.5M paycheck, threatens to pull out
Coachella organizers announced early Wednesday that The Weeknd, and house music supergroup Swedish House Mafia will be taking over the Kanye West’s Performance slots. But a music source has said the deal wasn’t yet done for the “Blinding Lights” singer.
According to the source:
“THE WEEKND CAME IN AT SHORT NOTICE TO TAKE KANYE’S TOP SPOT. BUT PHIL ANSCHUTZ [WHO OWNS THE COACHELLA FESTIVAL THROUGH AEG LIVE] WANTED TO HOLD ON TO KANYE’S MONEY AND PAY THE WEEKND FAR LESS, JUST A FEW MILLION. THE FESTIVAL WOULD POCKET THE REST.”
The singer has threatened to pull out if he wasn’t paid the same money as West, who was set to rake in $8 million-plus a $500,000 production fee.
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The source continued
“EVEN AFTER COACHELLA ANNOUNCED THE NEW LINEUP ON WEDNESDAY, A DEAL WASN’T IN PLACE FOR THE WEEKND, WHO THREATENED TO PULL OUT AT AN HOUR’S NOTICE IF HE DIDN’T GET THE SAME DEAL AS KANYE.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Kanye West bailed canceled on Coachella less than two weeks before showtime because he “wants to get help” after publicly dragging former wife Kim Kardashian and her boyfriend Pete Davidson on social media — which led to a 24-hour Instagram suspension.
