‘Block’ Staff Purportedly Told Not To Mention Jay-Z In Company Communications

Staff has been given “stern warnings” from management that there should be no mention of JAY-Z.

The co-founder of the social media platform, Twitter, Jack Dorsey, also has a financial tech firm named Block. A recent report by Fortune has revealed that the company has warned employees not to discuss one of its board members, Hip-Hop billionaire Jay-Z.

JAY-Z is connected to Block (formerly known as Square) after the tech company purchased Tidal in March 2021 for $237.3 million for an 86.2% stake. The Brooklyn entrepreneur became a director and was placed on Black’s board of directors after the purchase. Shareholders sued, stating that Dorsey and other board members approved the sale because of Dorsey’s friendship with JAY-Z. However, a judge dismissed the lawsuit because the plaintiffs did not show that Block’s directors acted in bad faith, though the purchase “seemed, by all accounts, a terrible business decision.”

Three Block employees have confirmed that management has given the staff “stern warnings” that Shawn Corey Carter, also known as Jay-Z, should not be mentioned in anything internal from the company, such as email or Slack. The report was given anonymously because they were not allowed to speak on such matters.

When asked about the rumored “warning,” a spokeswoman for the tech company declined to comment on what is being reported. But, it was recently announced that there were layoffs at Tidal, which the Brooklyn rapper once owned. Fortune previously reported that Dorsey expressed that the music streaming platform will be operated “like a startup again.”

“So we’re going to part ways with a number of folks on our team,” Dorsey wrote in a letter to the staff. “We’re going to lead with engineering and design, and remove the product management and product marketing functions entirely. We’re reducing the size of our design team and foundational roles supporting TIDAL, and we will consider reducing engineering over the next few weeks as we have more clarity around leadership going forward.”

After the warning issued to Block employees, Dorsey led a virtual all-hands-on meeting. Typically, employees are allowed to ask questions, sometimes anonymously, but they were not given that option, according to sources.

Due to the legal troubles that fellow rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs is currently involved with, as Jay-Z is a close associate of the imprisoned entertainment mogul, Block employees purportedly have questions about the connection and how it affects the “Hard Knock Life” recording artist.