North American media maintain that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle did not meet the productivity expectations required by Spotify.
Bill Simmons, a Spotify executive, lashed out at Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, calling them "scammers." This was after the end of the million-dollar agreement that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had with the streaming platform to produce their podcast. Although the couple announced in a statement that the decision had been unanimous and that everyone was "proud" of the work done, the news was not taken in the same way by the company representative.
When that contract was announced, at the end of 2020, it had an estimated value of about $25 million, according to the EFE agency, and it was one of the couple's most important commercial agreements after having stepped back from their duties as family members. British royal.
In the inaugural series of the podcast, Meghan engaged in conversations with prominent figures such as tennis player Serena Williams and singer Mariah Carey, focusing on challenging stereotypes against women. The Duchess expressed her deep involvement in the creative process, relishing late-night efforts spent crafting content and narratives.
Initially, there were plans for multiple podcast series, but ultimately, only one series with 12 episodes materialized. Some reports in North American media suggest that the couple may not have met Spotify's anticipated productivity standards, causing frustration for Simmons.
Russell Simmons voiced his wish that he had been a part of the negotiations concerning "Meghan and Harry's departure from Spotify." He humorously referred to it as "The Damn Hustlers," indicating that this is the podcast venture they should have embarked on together. He hinted at a fascinating encounter with Prince Harry where they discussed content ideas, suggesting it would make for a captivating anecdote.
According to CNN, this isn't the first instance of Simmons making contentious remarks about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. He had previously expressed feeling "embarrassed" to share a platform with the prince.
Simmons questioned the source of Prince Harry's talent and why the public should listen to him. He pointed out that the prince's notoriety was primarily due to his royal lineage, and his move to Montecito to create content didn't necessarily pique public interest unless it pertained to the royal family and criticism of it.
