Prince’s “Rally 4 Peace” Baltimore Concert Will Stream On Tidal, But You Don’t Have To Subscribe
Jay Z’s music and video streaming service Tidal has not proved to be very popular so far. However, their latest move seems to be a step in the right direction: The service will stream Prince’s Mother’s Day “Rally 4 Peace” for free, or “pre-pay wall” as they put it in a press release.
Obviously, Prince is holding the concert in Baltimore in light of the riots incited by public outrage at the death of Freddie Gray while he was in police custody. Rumors were already brewing that the concert would be a Tidal exclusive, but the news that it’s open to the public is certainly heartening. Tidal said they see the concert as a “cultural moment’ for a global audience to inspire change. Senior executive Vania Schlogel called it a privilege to partner with Prince and emphasized that Tidal is a “limitless platform”:
Tidal has the ability to create experiences that bring people together. We are privileged to partner with Prince so that people everywhere can share in this moment for healing and unity to support Baltimore youth through the power of music. Our dream is to be able to provide a limitless platform for all artists.
That is a good dream, in my opinion. Jay Z also issued a statement addressing the concert and the situation in Baltimore:
I am honored to join Prince in his mission to inspire through the uniting power of music and be able to offer a platform where this moment can be shared globally. We invite all to experience the music and contribute in their own way to promote peace, tolerance and understanding. Our prayers go out to Freddie Gray’s family and every family affected by brutality and senseless violence.
The 60-minute stream of Tidal X: Baltimore stream will be available on www.tidal.com on Sunday, and will provide a “match funds” button for subscribers to donate to charities throughout the stream. One such charity is the Baltimore Justice Fund, which seeks to end racial discrimination and eliminate police brutality in Baltimore. Donate here.