Popular Hot 97 DJ Funkmaster Flex has accused one-hit rapper Cardi B of payola — aka paying DJs to play her music on radio stations. The accusation is a serious one. Popular deejays have had their careers ruined over a payola scandal.
Flex took to social media on Wednesday to accuse rapper Cardi B and her management of paying to play her summer anthem “Bodak Yellow” and other songs.
“I think Cardi is a great entertainer and has great songs! I gave my opinion when she said she was “King of NY” and when I found out she didn’t write her own songs! I met Cardi and her management and I respected his and Cardi’s hustle! BUT LETS BE CLEAR.. CARDI’S TEAM AND MANY OTHER ARTIST (in the beginning of career) PAY DJS TO PLAY RECORDS AND SAY THAT “THEY ARE HOT” (Since I never took a penny from a rapper I’m not scared to speak on it) I have emails I’ve gotten from labels over the years with names and figures!”
Payola was a huge scandal in the music industry in the 1970s. The late radio pioneer Frankie Crocker was run out of town after he was indicted for accepting payments to play songs on NYC station WBLS-FM.
As of Wednesday, Cardi had not responded to the allegations. But she wrote on social media: “Don’t kill them with kindness kill the [sic] with blindness!”
