DJ Akademiks says he spent $25 million to sign Top5, Pressa, and more artists to launch a new label titled, Akademy Records. He explained the move in a video on social media that appears to have been recorded on New Year's Eve.
"Akademy Records, I told you I was launching. Listen, I dropped a $25 million bag. I had to do it. First signee to Akademy Records, the biggest demons outta Toronto. Y'all artists, you don't have a hit song, y'all not dripping like this. It's gonna take a while," Ak said. From there, he went around pointing to each artist, saying: "Lemme tell you this, $5 mill. I signed him for $5 million in his pocket. This guy's been rich. I gave him $5 mill just because." Ak concluded: "When these guys drop, big Ak is behind them. There's no bigger voice than me."
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Fans on social media don't appear confident in the success of Academy Records. "You can’t un lame a lame. Money doesn’t give you a pass. Folks that try way too hard to fit in," one user wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Another wrote: "Paying for protection and calling it a record deal with last place rappers is insane asf!"
DJ Akademiks Reveals Plans For A Record Label
Top5 has been making numerous headlines in recent months for calling out Kendrick Lamar amid his ongoing feud with Drake. Speaking with Akademiks during a livestream in September, he seemingly threatened Lamar if he came to Toronto. "It's not a threat, I'm just looking for Metro Boomin and Kendrick Lamar," he said at the time. "I'm doing my homework on them right now, doing my tasks on them right now. Nothing incriminating. I'm just looking for them. I want Metro Booming one-on-one. I don't want no weapons, nothing. I'm knocking the f*ck outta him. Kendrick Lamar, you cross the border, Chubbs calling me, you passed the border man." Check out the video of DJ Akademiks with Top5 and Pressa below.
[Via]