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Drake signs with Lil Wayne's Young Money Records in a "joint venture between Young Money and Cash Money, with Universal Republic distributing. Drake's management was adamant that he should be viewed as an independent artist, although Universal will distribute the project."
The Orchard anounced today that they have:
"formed a comprehensive marketing, distribution, and services partnership with leading independent music and video distributor Traffic Entertainment....The Orchard will serve Traffic Entertainment as its exclusive digital partner... Other traditional marketing efforts will be shared between the two companies, with Traffic tapping The Orchard's fast-growing U.S. physical distribution offering to handle all but third-party projects for Traffic."
"Traffic Entertainment...best known for the hits The Show by EMC, Vaudeville Villain by Viktor Vaughn aka MF Doom, Mission Impossible by De La Soul, Silence & Secrecy by Lil Scrappy..."will lend its high-caliber street credibility and grassroots marketing expertise to select Orchard-sourced projects, along with its own label releases," stated Christian Hedlund of Traffic Entertainment."
"Starting in July, The Orchard will physically distribute the upcoming Biz Markie best-of compilation...and digitally and physically distribute new albums by Killah Priest, and Masta Ace & Edo G, and a new DVD by Beastie Boy's videographer Ricky Powell. The Orchard will also handle the physical distribution of the deluxe reissue of De La Soul's De La Soul is Dead, which will be released in August. Other collaborations between the entertainment services company and Traffic include September albums by Little Brother, Edan, Oh No, Happy Black (Prince Paul, Newkirk & Keyon)."
Over at Hip Hop Press:
The Orchard and Traffic Entertainment Join Forces to
Transform Marketing and Distribution of Independent Hip-Hop
South Carolina's Lil Ru has been signed to Def Jam. Debut album 21 & UP, is due July 7th.
According to Billboard:
"While there are as many as three major labels battling it out to sign Drake, the Toronto-born MC signed to Lil Wayne's Young Money label is close to signing a deal with Universal Motown, a source close to the negotiations confirms."
"Sources say three majors are in possibly "one of the biggest bidding wars ever" in hopes of signing Drake, including Universal Motown and Atlantic Records."
Supposedly a label other than Universal has offered $2 million dollars straight up!
It's nice to have buzz, talent and Lil Wayne backing you!
MySpace: Drake
Sources/rumors at both Hits Daily Double [via DJ Semtex] and Billboard have Jay-Z and/or Roc Nation negotiating some sort of deal with Sony.
But the real question remains, will the deal be officially announced via Twitter or a Vibe Top 50 blog? ProHipHop waits with bated breath!
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Jay-Z Says Bye Bye to Def Jam
Gucci Mane has officially announced his signing to Warner Bros. Records with a new album to be released in August. He also clarifies that Big Cat's Murder Was The Case album is based on pre-2007 material including outtakes and other material he did not plan to release:
Gucci Mane states:
"I am no longer signed to, booked by, or working with Big Cat Records or any of its employees in any way. The CD that Big Cat is putting out consists of records that were never planned to make my album and is a non-official release. My fans will get the OFFICIAL Gucci Mane album in August on Warner Bros. Records."
Look for Gucci Mane to cover an upcoming issue of XXL.
Lloyd Banks is going with an independent label for his next album and expressing more of the growing hate for Interscope but says he's still with G-Unit.
On a related note, I was happy to hear that Mixtape Monday went daily. That's a nicely done feature at MTV News and breaks quite a bit of business news.
Are they on tv yet? They should be!
Jeff Dixon, co-CEO of Disturbing Tha Peace, says Lil Scrappy "never got the shot he needed to get".
Will signing with DTP give him that shot?
We should know by this fall when his next album is planned for release.
Since this seems to be bad news day at ProHipHop, let's reach back for a WoooHa analysis of the likely doom of TAG Records.
ProHipHop Synopsis: It looks bad!
So many are dog paddling in the dead pool and wishing they'd learned to swim. Now I finally understand why I should have become an Eagle Scout instead of a hip hop blogger.
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Jermaine Dupri Loses Island Records Presidency
[What About TAG Records and Q DA KID?]
Variety's reporting that "Jermaine Dupri is out as president of Island Records Urban Music division" as of Thursday.
While that's no fun for anybody, I'm not that concerned about JD's future, but WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN?:
"His ankling puts a question mark on Tag Records, the hip-hop label he oversaw that was a partnership between Island Def Jam and Procter & Gamble's Tag brand. Formed in April, the goal was to showcase Dupri and Tag artists across various Tag brand advertising and marketing initiatives."
"The label has released only one single, "On a Mission" by Q Da Kid, which featured Dupri. It has sold only 3,000 downloads."
I had mixed feelings about the TAG Records concept, especially for a new artist:
"On the one hand, this is a great opportunity for an up-and-comer to receive an outsized marketing effort on their debut."
"On the other, this is an opportunity to be branded by TAG at a key moment in one's career, a branding that may well stick with one long after the fact."
But I thought Q DA KID would be doing better than that at this point, even though the only new thing about this whole project was the idea of a deodorant company starting a record label.
My bad, not that this is the end of the road for JD or QDK, but neither could be very happy about this turn of events.
Best of luck, guys!
Update:
Ben Sisario at the NY Times states that, "according to a person at the company who was not authorized to speak publicly", Jermaine Durpi was fired but that he's still "expected to remain the head of Tag Records."
Hmmm, that's starting to look like a dubious honor.
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Jermaine Dupri to Helm TAG Records, Artists to Get Body Spray Size Marketing Support
Q aka Q DA KID is TAG Records First Artist
TAG [Records] Commercial f/Jermaine Dupri and Q
Winners of TAG's Make History National Grants Program
Sales of the NOW That's What I Call Music! series are slipping but it remains a successful business and is worth a look to consider their future:
"'Now That's What I Call Music!,' has been a reliable blockbuster for 10 years by sticking to a simple, recognizable brand. With a festive, uniform design aimed at the young, especially tween girls, the 'Now' CDs each contain 20 'chart-topping hits' — Britney Spears has been featured 12 times — and its 28 volumes have sold 61 million copies in the United States."
However, the basis of their success lies among those who purchase cds:
"'There's a type of consumer that still buys physical, and they're primed for this'...The 'Now' series...'will last to the extent that the physical market exists.'"
With albums sales declining:
"They have introduced a series of supplemental CDs, like 'Now That's What I Call Country,' and are moving into an array of media. New CDs will allow access to a Web site featuring acts below the usual superstar radar, and a deal with Dada, a cellphone-services company, will offer extra promotion of songs and ringtones from 'Now' artists. In addition, the 'Now' team is in talks to create a network television show to highlight its acts, according to people close to the negotiations who were not authorized to speak."
These sound like some good ideas to work with but it's hard not to feel that the end is near for these guys.
Every press release I get involving the bankruptcy of Death Row Records and the efforts to secure the goods by a company claiming to be the real Global Music Group gets a bit stranger than the last.
Most recently:
Global Music Group Informs Trustee of Allegedly Stolen Death Row Master Tracks and Objects to Sale:
"Michael J. Collesano, Esq., General Counsel of Global Music Group, Inc. a Delaware corporation, today filed a Declaration with the Los Angeles Bankruptcy Court alleging that numerous master recordings of Death Row Records may have been stolen by Suge Knight and Carl "Butch" Small..."
"Collesano says that he was contacted over the weekend by a woman who claimed to be the ex-girlfriend of Carl 'Butch' Small, a close associate and friend of Suge Knight who was described as a former principal of Death Row Records who ran the studio with Mr. Knight..."
"The woman...informed Collesano that she has been living most recently near Detroit, Michigan with Mr. Small, her boyfriend for the past 18 months. On October 1, 2008 Mr. Small allegedly attacked her and attempted to kill her by choking and strangling..."
"Collesano said that the woman claims Mr. Small told her that at the direction of Suge Knight between 2001 and 2005 he removed certain master recordings, videos and other property of Death Row Records from Pacific Coast Title Archives in California to "get it gone," presumably in advance of the bankruptcy filing."
"On October 2, 2008 the woman lead Deputy Christopher Schmidt of the Livingston County Sheriff's Department to a storage unit in Burlington, Michigan under her name, where the officer found what appear to be certain master recordings and videos contained in 10" X 12" black boxes..."
"The property is being held for the moment by the Livingston County Sheriff's Department, although according to the woman, there may also be additional material of Death Row Records in her possession that she wishes to return to the proper authorities. She also told Mr. Collesano that she has been contacted by Mr. Knight's attorney and girlfriend 'Tammy' and that she remains in fear of her life."
I hate to sound insensitive but all I can think is that I hope that storage unit was climate controlled!
In previous releases, Global Music Group made their claim for rightful ownership of Death Row Records' assets.
They first appeared in July:
Global Music Group of Delaware True Bidder for Assets of Death Row Records:
"GLOBAL MUSIC GROUP a Delaware Corporation as Plaintiff filed a civil lawsuit...to assert their claim as rightful bidders of the assets of Death Row Records and to prevent the assets from falling under the control of a group controlled by former partners."
"Ron Goldberg, CEO of the company and of Alliance Capitol, LLC, its parent, announced that he filed the action against Global Music Group, Inc. a New York Corporation formed a day before the bid on June 9, 2008 by Global (Delaware) former president Anthony Marotta after Goldberg's Delaware company had retained counsel in March, 2008 and applied to be a bidder at the bankruptcy auction to be held June 24, 2008. Anthony Marotta and his new partners, RSB Investment Strategies, LLC, through the newly formed corporation with the identical name are claiming they own the assets of Death Row Records."
Later in August:
Global Music Group, Inc. of Delaware Makes Offer for Assets of Death Row Records
"Global Music Group...submitted an offer to the Trustee in the Death Row Records bankruptcy proceeding in Los Angeles, California to acquire the Assets of Death Row Records for the sum of $24 million if the bid of Global Music Group of New York (GMG New York) is deemed terminated by the Court. Last week, the Trustee for the bankruptcy estate filed to terminate the rights of GMG New York because they had not yet successfully completed the transaction."
"On June 24, 2008 the Court awarded the winning bid in the bankruptcy sale of the assets of Death Row Records for $24 million dollars to the party that applied to bid for the assets on June 10, 2008. GMG Delaware has contended it was the rightful bidder but the Court identified GMG New York in error."
"After GMG Delaware filed suit against GMG New York, the parties reached a settlement on August 6, 2008 which contemplated GMG New York financing the acquisition and sharing equity with GMG Delaware."
Of course, this may not be the Curse of Death Row Records but the long standing and even more debilitating Curse of the Music Industry Lawyers.
While that's going on, looks like the other Global Music Group is setting up shop without reference to the Death Row assets.
Unless, of course, this is a third Global Music Group!
Variety's Phil Gallo takes a look at Cash Money as they capitalize on independence and expand into pop/rock. He also speaks with label co-owner Slim Williams:
"When you start taking it upon yourself to guide your own destiny...it becomes like chess. We had to educate people about our music. Everything we have done has been a hands-on (approach). We stay grounded and focused, try to not wear out our welcome and realize some artists will go quicker than others."
Jay-Z and production duo Stargate are launching a new label, StarRoc, headquartered at Jay-Z's Roc The Mic studio.
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