Welcome to the Tech Mem Right Home for Thursday, March 4th 2021. I'm Brian McCullough today.

Square is acquiring a majority stake in title and either this makes little sense at all or it's a

watershed moment in this NFT slash Creator Academy phenomenon that's suddenly

washing over all of us. Apple walks the walk in terms of data portability, but they're

facing serious new antitrust scrutiny in the UK and Arizona. And our year of COVID, at least

as measured by internet traffic numbers.

Here's what you miss today in the world of tech.

Square got a lot of people to do double takes this morning by announcing that it is acquiring quote a significant

majority stake in Jay-Z's streaming music service title for $277 million.

Jay-Z will also join Square. for $297 million.

Jay-Z will also join Square's Board of Directors,

quoting the New York Times.

Title, which Jay-Z bought in partnership with other artists in 2015

for $56 million provides members

access to music, music videos, and exclusive content from artists, but the

streaming music industry has been dominated by competitors like Spotify, Apple, and Amazon.

In 2017, Jay-Z sold 33% of the company to Sprint for an undisclosed amount.

After a merger Sprint is now a part of T-Mobile, earlier this week, JZ bought back the shares from T-Mobile and most

will be sold on to Square as part of this deal. Mr. Dorsey and JZ began to discuss the acquisition, quote, a few months ago, said Jesse Dorogusker, a

Square Executive who will lead a title on an interim basis.

It started as a conversation between the two of them, he said.

They found that sense of common purpose end quote

...