Just a couple of days ago, we heard “Final Hour,” a new collaboration between space-R&B singer Kelela and MPC wizard araabMUZIK, ostensibly from the latter’s long-delayed album Dream World. But apparently we weren’t supposed to hear it at all, and Kelela isn’t too happy about the fact that we did:

SO @araabMUZIK's a&r @Distrolord put out a song I NEVER FINISHED. The demo is 2 YEARS OLD and I never knew it was gonna be on his record!!!

— Kelela (@kelelam) October 25, 2015

Only reason why you think you can be so brazen and get away with it is cuz I'm a woman @Distrolord. @araabMUZIK you need a new a&r

— Kelela (@kelelam) October 25, 2015

If you were gonna blatantly take the song, you coulda at least first gotten my best work!!! You dumb…and sad and cheap @Distrolord

— Kelela (@kelelam) October 25, 2015

araabMUZIK has since responded to her accusations, confirming that the song was leaked without his permission too:

1st of all i would like to address this Final Hour song situation. It was leaked by @distrolord i never approved this song by @kelelam

— araabMUZIK (@araabMUZIK) October 25, 2015

Lastly Dream World wont be released since im recording and working on brand new music for the project. New King EP drops nov 5!!! #MVP

— araabMUZIK (@araabMUZIK) October 25, 2015

Sure was! RT @BevanSSBM: @araabMUZIK @Distrolord @kelelam was distrolord the one who leaked the fake Electronic Dream 2?

— araabMUZIK (@araabMUZIK) October 25, 2015

So apparently “Final Hour” was leaked by the same guy who leaked a fake/early copy of araabMUZIK’s album Electronic Dream 2 — which never ended up coming out for real — back in 2012? And now Dream World is being scrapped too, but he has a new EP coming out in November? Clearly there’s some story here that we’re not getting.

UPDATE: Now Gustavo Guerra of Distrolord has spoken to Pitchfork about both artists’ claims. Guerra says that the project was well-documented in emails, texts, press releases, and bank statements, and he gives a rundown of how the collaboration came about:

I met Kelela back at the CMJ showcase. She wanted to work with us. She gave me her email, I said “great.” I sent her over some tracks. I said, “We’re working on an album, we want you for our project.” She said, “Great, send me over the beats.” She selected the track, which is “Final Hour”. She sent me over a copy of the song and was like, “Here you go.” I was like, “Yo, this is dope. I respect this. This is the song, let’s use this for our project.” She was like, “Cool.” She was psyched about it.

At the time, she wasn’t really known. Araab, he was at that moment. Down the line, she kept hitting me like, “Yo, what’s up, we should get up and mix this record.” I’m like, “Great, you should come to In Ya Ear Studios and we can work on the record there.” So cool, she came through, we start mixing the record, and she left.

Her management reached out to me and they were like, “Yo, we want to use this for our upcoming EP.” Araab was busy at that current time, so like I said, we wanted to use this track for our project, we go, “We can put it on your project as well for a future release.”

Although Kelela says that her part in the song is an unfinished demo, Guerra claims otherwise: “The song was done. She asked me to send her Araab’s stems so she could mix it. I said, ‘I’m getting it done. We’re gonna get this song done.'” He also doesn’t seem to understand araabMUZIK’s reaction: “Maybe he woke up to see some angry tweets at him and he reacted. araabMUZIK’s my brother at the end of the day…Is Dream World gonna come out? Yeah, it’s gonna come out.”

UPDATE 2: araabMUZIK has just shared the following statement via his official Facebook page:

PRESS RELEASE — October 25, 2015

“Araabmuzik” Song Leak Let’s clear the air …

Providence, RI — Araabmuzik, LLC would like to officially announce that Araab himself or anyone affiliated with his current TEAM had nothing to do with the release of “Final Hour” ft. Kelela. This song was released by someone affiliated with his previous management without our consent or knowledge. We would like to apologize for the confusion and set the record straight. He is currently working on numerous projects and will be giving his new music away to make up for the delayed release of Dreamworld. Dreamworld will now have a release date of January 29th under new Management. We would like the public to know that he has been working hard to bring you new music done the right way. He will be dropping his first single “King” on November 6, 2015 and two free EPs, on December 4, 2015. We are working diligently on rectifying the problem and again apologize for any confusion this may have caused. Araabmuzik and staff wish Kelela nothing but chart topping success.

“KING”
Genre: Electronic / Dance
Release Date: December 04, 2015

“GOON LOOPS”
Genre: Hip Hop / Trap
Release Date: December 04, 2015