Who is Lucian Grainge? Kanye West takes a shot at Metro Boomin and Future over alleged collaboration request for ‘LIKE THAT REMIX’

Kanye West has sparked controversy once more, this time targeting Future and Metro Boomin for allegedly requesting to work together on the 'Like That Remix,' and then they ghosted him after he mentioned Lucian Grainge.

Metro Boomin has been busy in his musical endeavors, collaborating with one artist after the other, be it for his own album or as a featured artist. Metro's been in the spotlight since his beef with Drake.

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Who is Lucian Grainge and how important is he?

Sir Lucian Grainge is the CEO and chairman of Universal Music Group (UMG), the largest music company in the world. He has almost 40 years of experience and is regarded as one of the most significant figures in modern music.

Some of the stars in the business, such as Kanye West, Drake, Future, Taylor Swift, and The Weeknd, have been signed and managed by UMG under his direction.

Grainge had a big impact on other artists' careers and managed crucial contracts, such as Drake's partnership with Republic Records and Kanye West's previous deals with Def Jam Recordings (a UMG subsidiary). Additionally, by negotiating deals with services like Apple Music and Spotify that have altered the company's trajectory, he has been instrumental in aligning UMG with the streaming age.

Grainge hasn't spoken out about the conflicts between Kanye, Metro Boomin, or Future directly; his power over music distribution and artist contracts means that any disagreement in the business, particularly when it involves other well-known artists, could have a significant impact.

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Kanye's LIKE THAT REMIX'

Back in April 2024, on The Download podcast with Justin Laboy, Ye revealed that

“[Future] called me and I went to the studio and laid that. We went through the creative process of adding the chords and called the Hooligans out in London to get on the joint. Everybody was very, very energized about the elimination of Drake.”

He then took shots at Griange by rapping.

“Where’s Lucian? Serve your master, n—a/ You caught a little bag for your masters, didn’t ya/ Lifetime deal, I feel bad for n—as/ Y’all so outta sight, outta mind/ I can’t even think of a Drake line,”

He also referred to Griange as Drake's Rich Baby Daddy.

“You say rich baby daddy it’s like Drake has a rich baby daddy named Lucian and Universal. It’s like, ‘My daddy got it. My daddy control the spins. My daddy got the DSPs.’ Drake has a rich baby daddy named Lucian.”

Kanye West also premiered his new 'Like That' remix and said that

"he had more tonight"

He revealed the announcement in replies to a meme he posted on Twitter that ridicules J. Cole, whom he dissed in his version of LIKE THAT.

Ye rapped,

“Y’all so out of sight, out of mind, I can’t even think of a Drake line. Play J. Cole, get the p*ssy dry.”

Metro had also spent time with Ye on the remix track.

Metro Boomin shared a picture of himself with Kanye in the studio, writing,

"can’t stop won’t stop."

West can be seen in the photo wearing a Sean Jean tank top where a line in the song is,

"Can't Stop. Won't Stop. I just f*cked your b*tch in a Sean John tank top."

His version of LIKE THAT is available on his website.

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Metro Boomin and Kanye West's history

With collaborations on songs like Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1, Waves, and FML from The Life of Pablo (2016), Metro Boomin and Kanye West have a lengthy history together. Metro's early work on Future's Honest (2014) and Drake and Future's What a Time to Be Alive (2015) had already attracted Kanye's eye before The Life of Pablo.

West and Metro allegedly had their first studio sessions together in late 2015 because of West's admiration for Metro's ability to combine melody with powerful rhythms. Metro Boomin was seen in the studio with Kanye in 2021 during the early sessions of Donda, despite the fact that none of his contributions were used in the finished edit.

In October 2023, Metro tweeted "¥$¥$¥$," which many believed was a reference to Ye and Ty Dolla $ign’s project. Fans took it as a hint of a collaboration.

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Metro Boomin or Future have not commented or replied yet on Kanye West's tweet.

Stay tuned to SoapCentral for more information.