It began on Twitter and fittingly enough, it ended on Twitter. New Jersey-born singer/songwriter 070 Shake (real name Danielle Balbuena) bluntly announced on the platform yesterday (August 14, 2018) to “stop hitting up Julz” because she’s under new management. According to her Instagram account, Shake is now being managed by Los Angeles-based Paradigm Agency.
The tweet was a reference to YesJulz (real name Julianne Goddard) who until recently was Shake’s manager. YesJulz made her first contact with Shake sometime in 2016 with a Twitter DM after hearing her single “Proud.” In part because of YesJulz’s own high profile, their relationship/friendship was widely known and it’s rare to find a profile on Shake that doesn’t mention YesJulz.
Speaking to the unique nature of their relationship, the news emerged the day after Puma and YesJulz launched their collaborative capsule with a lookbook featuring Shake.
Shake had her break out music moment in June 2018 thanks to Kanye West, who tapped the G.O.O.D. Music-signed artist as a songwriter and singer for his own album Ye, as well as Pusha T, Nas and Teyana Taylor‘s albums. Following the album drops, multiple high-profile publications covered the 21-year-old Shake.
YesJulz responded to Shake’s management pronouncement with her own series of tweets, writing, “Apparently I was only needed until she hit the big leagues. She fired me as soon as she got on Nas’s album. People change…Or maybe she was never who I thought she was in the first place. One valuable lesson has been learned, I can’t really trust nobody.”
In another tweet she added, “I had no intention of making personal business public but at some point, I have to speak up for myself. I busted my ass for 3 years and put my career, relationship, friendships on the back burner for someone else’s dreams all for them 2throw me away the second ppl knew her name.”
While the two had a friendly relationship, Shake was contractually committed to Julz’s management. In a now deleted tweet, Julz wrote, “I have a great contract. Still doesn’t mean anything. I’ll have to fight for the money I spent 3 years earning. I never made shit. She cancelled two tours &never had an album out-¬ on my accord. Contracts r just a piece of paper. I’m exhausted &last thing I want is 2 go to court. ”
In response to a comment stating that management change is normal for artists whose popularity expands, Julz responded, “Loyal people bring their day 1’s for the ride & build a strong team to support them. I was building the team. I always wanted to Co-manage her w/ some1 more experienced than me but no one in the big leagues ever saw what I saw in her till the Ye album. I couldn’t get help b4 that.”
Shake pushed back on YesJulz’s version of events with two now deleted tweets. Explaining why she chose new management she noted, “i needed someone that was just focused on me. Like a real manager i appreciate everything julz did for me. But after we came from Wyoming she started working on her album and dropped a song with bloc boy that’s just one of things that was taking up her time.” She then added, “I was undiscovered because I only had one song out 2. Good music connect had nothing to do with Julz.”
Whether YesJulz was a key to Shake’s connection with G.O.O.D. Music is a point of contention because it speaks to her role in taking Shake’s career to the next level and potentially could figure in contract settlements.
In a Vulture profile on Shake published on June 1st, YesJulz told the publication she created the connection. According to the article, “Shake’s music found its way into the G.O.O.D. music camp through YesJulz, who is a close friend of Travis Scott and is connected with Kanye [West]’s crew.”
According to YesJulz, she played some of 070 Shake’s music during a Yeezy fitting, and sparked Pusha’s interest. In mid-2016, G.O.O.D. Music began following Shake on Twitter, sparking rumors that she had been signed, and in June, Pusha-T, Desiigner, and other G.O.O.D. music members showed up to a YesJulz hosted party at SOBs to perform. Shake released her first official single on the label, ‘Trust Nobody,’ in September of 2016.”
However, in an interview with Pigeons & Planes published on June 4th, Shake credited a friend for making the connection that lead to her being signed by G.O.O.D, “A girl from my town played Kanye [West] one of my songs, called ‘Sunday Night.’ Initially, there were labels that were looking at me, but I said I’m not going to sign to anyone unless it’s Kanye West. And a week and a half later, [head of Def Jam a&r] Steven Victor found me.”
On Twitter, YesJulz stated she will continue to work with other members of the 070 music collective Shake was a part of and chose not to take the bait when someone on Twitter described Shake as “hot garbage.” She wrote, “Nah we not gunna do that. Shake is one of the most talented artists I have ever known. With or without me. I’m done speaking on it tho. Enjoy your day”
While the management break up appears messy, Shake closed out with well wishes, writing, “Anyway bro shake that ass julz love you forever! Real love! Even if u not managing me we could still love each other ya know.”
Check out the Twitter exchanges below.
