June 18, 2008 11:53

Kid Rock boycotts Apple iTunes

Rapper says the download site doesn't pay artists enough

Kid Rock is refusing to allow his songs to be sold through the Apple iTunes download service because he doesn't believe that Apple pay artists enough for their downloads.

The rapper claimed that the download service was based on an "old system" whereby musicians were cut out of pay deals.

He did, however, concede that it was inevitable that his music would one day be available on iTunes.

"It's based on an old system where iTunes takes the money, the record company takes the money, and they don't give it to the artists," he told BBC News.

"Back in the day, we all know the stories of the Otis Reddings and Chuck Berrys and Fats Dominos who never got paid," he continued. "So the internet was an opportunity for everyone to be treated fairly, for the consumer to get a fair price, for the artist to be paid fairly, for the record companies to make some money.

"I will be on iTunes eventually because I can't avoid it, but I like to always stick to my guns and prove a point and do something original and because I believe in it."