Music stores write letter to Jay-Z and Kanye West

The owners of independent music stores in the US have written a letter to rap stars Jay-Z and Kanye West asking them to change the release deal for their new album, Watch The Throne.

The deal allows only Best Buy, which is a major chain of electronic stores, to sell the album for about two weeks after its release. The letter says that the deal is bad news for the country’s 1,700 independent record stores and asks that they be allowed to sell the album, too.

"We know that you are busy and that you put most of your energies into creating great music," says the letter. "But we are writing to you in the hope that you will hear us and take the time to rectify this matter. As representatives of the independent record store music community, we are asking you to allow record stores and music fans equal access to your new album."

Some of the storeowners are threatening to stop selling other albums by Jay-Z and Kanye West if the stars don’t listen to them.