KANYE: HEADED FOR A COURTROOM SHOWDOWN

A looming lawsuit pits former pals Kanye West and Jay-z against each other

They were best friends. Kanye West and Jay-z were once so close, Yeezus called Jay his “big brother” in a 2007 song. When Jay launched his Tidal streaming service in 2015, Kanye stood by him onstage, smiling, proud to offer his music exclusively through the company. But after a year of tension, Kanye, 40, pulled out of his Tidal contract in July, claiming they owed him a $3 million bonus for bringing in 1.5 million new subscribers with his 2016 album, The Life of Pablo.

Now the two are enemies — and the battle is only getting nastier. Kanye is so furious, he’s determined to drag Jay to court to get the money, a source exclusively tells Life & Style. “Kanye believes he’s owed by Tidal and he will fight for it,” says the source. In a trial, they’d bot h ha v e to testify, legal experts say, in a courtroom showdown that could reveal their most damaging secrets. At this point, “there’s no salvaging the friendship, so Kanye’s going full force,” says the source. “He could reveal secrets about Jay that may not be pretty.” But Jay, 47, is ready to fight back with his own arsenal of information about Kanye and wife Kim Kardashian, 36. “Jay would rather settle this man-toman, but it’s gone beyond that now,” says the source. “This is war.”

GETTING PERSONAL

Kanye’s resentment toward his mentor had been building for years. Jay and Beyoncé, 35, famously were no-shows to his 2014 wedding to Kim in Italy. Even so, “Kanye thought his children would grow up with Jay’s kids [Blue, 5, and 2-month- old twins Sir and Rumi],” says the source. When he realized that would never happen, “Kanye was really hurt,” says the source. “He feels Jay used him for his music.”

So he wants the money

he believes he’s owed. Kanye has every right to sue for breach of contract, LA attorney Dana Cole (who does not represent either rapper) tells Life & Style. If they don’t settle, they’ll both have to testify under oath, either in depositions or at trial, Cole says. “Testimony would focus on the financial condition of both of the stars and their companies,” notes LA attorney Royal Oakes (who also doesn’t represent Kanye or Jay-z), “and whether promises were made and broken.”

Kanye, who last year publicly revealed he was $53 million in debt, has shown he’s willing to sue for money he believes he’s entitled to. He recently filed a $10 million lawsuit against insurer Lloyd’s for not paying claims he made for the tour he canceled after his November breakdown. Jay could even be pulled into that drama to testify about his rival’s emotional state. No matter what Jay might say, Kanye won’t let the Tidal battle go. “This isn’t some little dispute, not in Kanye’s eyes,” says the source. “Kanye feels deeply betrayed by Jay. This will get settled in the courtroom.”