Bab 191: **Chapter 189: Who Wins, Who Loses**
After leaving the airport, Link got into a luxury car driven by Bob, with his assistant Anna also waiting inside.
"Boss, I just called Ivanka and told her about the fan giveaway of the gold medals. She thinks it's a great promotional idea," Anna said, holding her work bag in the seat opposite.
Link nodded, sipping on some iced lemon water and feeling much cooler. He wiped his hands with a wet wipe.
"I only heard from the reporters about the album's weekly sales top spot. How are the singles performing?"
"'Empire State of Mind' is number one on the singles chart this week. The Black Eyed Peas' 'I Gotta Feeling' is second, 'Believer' moved up to third, 'This Is Me' is ninth, and 'Keep On Movin' is at 18. Including the initially released 'Give Me Reason,' there are nine tracks from the second album on the charts."
Anna smiled and continued, "Rolling Stone magazine gave the album a 4.2 rating. On iTunes and Amazon Music, the album scores 8.5, which is very good."
Link nodded with satisfaction. "That's all good news. Any negative reports?"
Anna hesitated before saying, "Yes. Some media are stirring up your personal life, claiming it's chaotic. Besides Taylor, they've mentioned you're romantically involved with Ivanka, Amber Heard, Emma Watson, and Duchen Kolos, saying you have over a hundred secret lovers."
Link chuckled dismissively. Celebrity gossip is common, and it didn't concern him much.
"There are also two women from Miami who claim to be your ex-girlfriends, saying you abandoned them after your rise to fame. One even claims you're the father of her child and is demanding child support."
Anna looked at him intently.
Link raised his eyebrows. Before the assassination attempt, he had four ex-girlfriends, but the relationships were short-lived, so he couldn't be sure about any children.
"Is it true?"
"After the news broke, Ivanka immediately arranged for an investigation. Only a girl named Sunny spent a few days with you, but the child isn't real. Someone paid her a thousand dollars to lie to the reporters."
Anna said.
Link sighed in relief, glad he wasn't facing an unexpected fatherhood.
"Any other bad news?"
"Yes, there are many rumors online claiming that our album's sales are inflated, with the label spending money to boost numbers. There are also accusations of plagiarism, with plans to sue you in local courts.
Our legal team is investigating the sources of these rumors and has filed lawsuits against several social media platforms for inadequate regulation, seeking legal responsibility from the relevant personnel."
Link nodded. While he wasn't worried about the sales fraud claims, the plagiarism accusations were malicious and aimed at ruining him. It was a reminder to be more cautious with song inspirations in the future.
He could provide music snippets or song ideas to Graham, Mars, or others to develop similar tracks. With his reputation and vocal ability, he could still achieve significant sales.
Alternatively, he could hire songwriters, which he had done for his first and second albums.
If the plagiarism claims were proven, the money earned from album sales wouldn't cover the compensation.
Upon arriving at the Santa Monica beach villa, Taylor had invited a group of friends from Los Angeles for a party to celebrate his World Championship wins and the album's top spot—a double delight.
Guests included Blake Lively, Emma Roberts, Katy Perry, Paul Walker, Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Duchen Kolos, Jamie King, and others.
Looking around, Link realized his and Taylor's social circles were quite small, with friends being a fixed few.
"Link, what are you doing alone here?" Katy Perry asked, approaching with a glass of wine.
It was a beach party, and everyone was dressed casually. Link wore only swim trunks, while Katy Perry was in a red, strappy bikini that barely covered her ample chest and curvy hips. Standing at over 5'7", she had a sizzling figure. Her hair, once black, was recently dyed blonde, and her British features made her look even more stunning.
"I have a signing event in Vancouver tomorrow, so I need to rest up," Link explained.
"I heard you sign over ten thousand albums at each event. That's impressive. My fans suggest I learn from you. Link, you've really raised the bar for being a singer."
"It's my honor," Link joked.
Katy Perry sat in a nearby beach chair and, after a moment of hesitation, said, "Link, the recommendation for Jay-Z's single last time was a company arrangement."
Link raised a hand to stop her. "Katy, I understand. No need to explain. Our friendship is personal, not business. Those things are boring."
Katy Perry is signed to Capitol Music Group and collaborates with Jay-Z, Kanye, and others, so promoting Jay-Z's single was normal.
She had also helped promote Link's single *Give Me Reason* before.
"Link, are you going to continue competing with East Coast rap? They have a lot of people and connections. Continuing this competition might not be beneficial for you. Have you considered a truce? I'm friends with Rihanna and can act as a mediator for peace."
Katy Perry leaned back on her beach chair, her curvaceous figure more exposed with the movement, evoking the idea of an 'iceberg,' with the visible part being just a small fraction of what's hidden.
Link shook his head. "Katy, it's not that I want to compete. They don't want me to win, and I don't like losing. Unless they're willing to stop their attempts to undermine my songs and albums, I won't consider a truce."
"Yeah, Jay-Z and Kanye are too dominant and refuse to admit defeat. But the competition has made the music scene more lively. I watch the news every day to see who wins."
Katy Perry laughed.
Lady Gaga, overhearing Katy Perry, added with a laugh, "Yes, the buzz around Link and Jay-Z is huge. Many people are watching, which has decreased the exposure for other albums this year. Singers are complaining because their album promotions get overshadowed by the Link vs. Jay-Z battle."
Katy Perry laughed heartily, agreeing with Lady Gaga's comments.
Link smiled as well. Before he and Jay-Z released their albums, the media focused on the "chart battle," eager to see who would come out on top.
During the battle, both he and Jay-Z generated a lot of headlines, providing ample material for the media.
Some media even created a special "Link vs. Jay-Z" column, updating daily on album sales, song rankings, and activities.
The intense media coverage of their competition led to reduced visibility for other artists' albums, as their promotional news was less engaging compared to the Link-Jay-Z feud.
Additionally, both Link and Jay-Z were major stars with significant influence and fanbases in the U.S. Their rivalry effectively acted as combined promotion, giving them a greater impact than other artists.
"Link, will you be able to surpass Jay-Z on the album charts next week?"
Katy Perry asked with a smile.
"I'm not sure, but I'll do my best."
"Good luck! I hope you continue to top the album charts next week."
Katy Perry and Lady Gaga raised their glasses in a toast.
Link clinked his champagne glass with theirs.
(End of Chapter)
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone