APPLE IN TALKS TO BUY TIDAL?

The Wall Street Journal reports (citing "sources") that Apple is in exploratory talks to buy Jay Z's streaming service, Tidal. Word is that Jay, who paid some $56m for the service, could walk away with $100m+ if the deal goes through.

Our own I.B. Bad speculated in March about the advantages of such a purchase, which would stop the serious financial bleed at Tidal, make Jay Z look like a savvy biz operator and give the increasingly aggressive Apple yet another leg up in the streaming sweepstakes. If true, the deal would also give Jimmy Iovine's Cupertino unit access to the urban acts that Tidal has been scoring as exclusives.

Many observers note that Kanye West helped move the needle for Tidal; if Apple had gotten him, as most had anticipated they would, this deal might never have happened. Stay tuned.