Jay Z defends Tidal streaming music service

Jay Z took to Twitter Sunday for a "stream of consciousness" defense against press reports that his Tidal streaming music service is a flop.

"Tidal is doing just fine," the 45-year-old rapper and music mogul told followers. "We have been in business less than one month."

"The iTunes Store wasn't built in a day. It took Spotify nine years to be successful," Jay Z continued. "We are here for the long haul. Please give us a chance to grow & get better."

Jay Z launched Tidal last month in a star-studded press conference that included Madonna, Kanye West, Rihanna, Beyonce, Daft Punk and Arcade Fire.

But the Tidal app dropped off the iTunes 700 list only two weeks after its release.

Jay Z pitched the company as a streaming-music service majority owned by artists, but some of his fellow performers aren't fans.

Mumford & Sons frontman Marcus Mumford told The Daily Beast that he wouldn't join if asked.

"A band of our size shouldn't be complaining. And when they say it's artist-owned, it's owned by those rich, wealthy artists," Mumford said.

Jay Z attributed the negative criticism to a "smear campaign."

"We are not anti-anyone, we are pro-artist and fan," he said.