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POLL: Should Labels Take Responsibility For Leaks?

 

Welcome to the Internet, Music Industry. In recent weeks, T.I. and Chris Brown have cried foul over the leaking of upcoming material. These artists certainly have a right to be irritated, but there's almost never an attempt to hold their labels and producers culpable for these infractions. It's always The Internet's fault, like The Internet snuck its way into someone's studio and walked away with the music like a thief in the night. The Internet doesn't just find things that aren't left sitting out.

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nOvaMatic  |  08/27/2008 at 11:35 AM  |  Comments (3)  |  Permalink

Absolut Kanye

 

We now present to you a vision by Kanye West. In his Absolut World everyone wants to be him and all they have to do to achieve this feat is to plop two Alka Seltzer-like Be Kanye tablets into a glass of water, guzzle it down and voila! Now you two can rock extra-medium hipster gear while pulling all the honies in the spot. Doesn't get any better than that, right? The only thing you'll have to worry about is the other dudes in the club poppin the Be Kanye tabs, too. The thought of multiple Yeezy's is a scary one. Thank goodness it's only a commercial for a product that doesn't exist. Yet...

Butta  |  08/19/2008 at 5:05 PM  |  Comments (1)  |  Permalink

Forbes.com Distracts the Blogosphere for a Day

 

Not to begrudge the success of our Hip Hop brethren, but maybe it's time to have yet another discussion about Art vs. Commerce.

As many of you know, Forbes released its list of Hip Hop's top earners for 2008. They call them "Cash Kings," even going as far as referring to Jay-Z (#2) as a "demigod." This is par for the course in Forbes' lasting legacy as a chronicler of who makes what. But while we're patting Jigga, 50 Cent, Diddy and Kanye on the back for making that cheddar, let us not care so much.

We've reached an unfortunate point in Hip Hop where we've become so distracted by an artist's earnings that we almost never hold them accountable for their product. This isn't to say the artists listed don't work their asses off (you pretty much have to these days), but we've gotten away from boiling the music down to the music. Seeing our brothers rise to CEO status and never have to worry about living check-to-check or hustling on the street fills many in our community with a sense of pride. That we, as a race, can list this among our many overlooked accomplishments. We use their earnings as a qualifier for their artistry. How many times have you expressed that someone's latest CD was sub-par, only to have the fact that it's going platinum thrown back in your face?

Money has made Hip Hop lazy. Some of the best lyricists are hungry to the point where we can't help but relate to them on the most basic human level. Same goes for many of the R&B/Soul artists we highlight on this very site, that tour and toil until they're out of breath yet probably will never see the returns of their mainstream counterparts.

When I listen to an album, I want to hear an artist. Not a businessperson.

The Business Of Hip-Hop: Hip-Hop's Cash Kings 2008 [Forbes]

nOvaMatic  |  08/19/2008 at 11:00 AM  |  Comments (1)  |  Permalink

Radio One Bosses On the Come Up

 

The downward economic trends and the impact the Internet is having on the entertainment industry doesn't seem to bother Radio One CEO and President, Alfred Liggins III, one bit. The media conglomerate, founded by his mother, Cathy Hughes, has diversified its interests over the years by not only owning a slew of radio stations across the country but also the growing cable network, TV One (BET is so yesterday), Giant magazine, Reach Media and Community Connect social networks. Whew! Now it seems as if Radio One is taking notes from Prez Bush's policies and plans to make the rich even richer. It is reported that Liggins is giving himself a 70% raise, which would amount to an annual salary of $980,000--with a bonus! Hughes' salary for her position as Chairperson will increase 75% to 750,000 a year. Liggin's explanation: "My compensation isn't significantly different from [chief executives at radio] companies like Citadel and Cumulus." Now, we're not financial analysts, but something tells us you're not supposed to give yourself a raise when your stock is tapping dancing around $1 a share. [BW2]

Soul Bounce  |  05/29/2008 at 2:00 PM  |  Leave a Comment  |  Permalink

25 Things That Killed (and are Still Killing) Urban Music

 

In the midst of everyone's declarations that "Hip Hop is Dead" we somehow forgot the slow death that is spreading across all aspects of "urban" music, as the legacy of Soul and its close cousins has devolved into a writhing mass of commercialism, homogenization, thuggification and overall laziness. Now, in no particular order, we present to you the "25 Things That Killed (and are Still Killing) Urban Music" because you love lists and SoulBounce isn't afraid to say what you're thinking. Keep in mind that there will be some overlap, as certain items gave way to others that deserve their own spanking.

1. The End of the "Event" Album: There was a time when albums encompassed an era that included a look, a feel, and a style that informed an artist's videos and live performances for as long as they (or the label) could squeeze revenue from a project by releasing singles. The "event" album can chiefly be credited to Jacksons Michael and Janet, who have entire timelines built around the idea of a "Thriller Era" or a "Rhythm Nation Era." Nowadays, instead of treating albums as what they are (a collection of songs with one unifying theme) artists are more likely to seek out the most ubiquitous Hip Hop beatmakers of the moment and record over a hundred songs from which to "pick" singles. Also, when you have artists that are too scared to release music with a healthy 3-5 year gap in between, the lines to between albums begin to blur, and the eras become indistinguishable, rendering them null.

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nOvaMatic  |  04/22/2008 at 3:00 PM  |  Comments (40)  |  Permalink

Clive No Longer the HDIC (Head Davis in Charge?) of BMG

 

Clive Davis, we'll miss you. We'll miss your bi-yearly declarations that "This will be the year we put Whitney back on top!" We'll miss the unabashed Alicia Keysery with which you pepper your pontifications on American Idol. We'll also miss mixing you up with that other old guy that was married to Mariah Carey when she used to wear clothes. Although you have a long, decorated history of ramming Pop/Soul artists into our collective consciousness at every turn (thanks for Leona, by the way), we're quite distressed that you're being replaced with Barry Weiss, who in much the same fashion guided the careers of Chris Brown and T-Pain. But at least he has a pulse... on what music listeners want to hear nowadays. But good luck in your new role as Chief Creative Officer, which is oodles more glamorous than Chairman and Chief Officer. [NYT/CNN]

nOvaMatic  |  04/18/2008 at 3:12 PM  |  Leave a Comment  |  Permalink

Oh No. The Soul Train Awards Have Been Cancelled. Bummer.

 

Looks like we won't be live-blogging this one. The 22nd Soul Train Music Awards are not happening this year, my people, for unspecified reasons. Now I have to spend the remainder of this entry trying to articulate my apathy at this news. Yes, Soul Train and its award shows are an institution. Yes, we need an awards show where a Black artist is always the winner and doesn't have to worry about getting jumped. Yes, Grammy is a setup. But consider the following:

• The ceremony would've likely championed the same music that made me reactively found this website.
• The production values have become increasingly laughable over the years. If they don't care why should I?
  
• Marquee artists don't even want to show up for it.
• Lady of Soul still hasn't been able to live down giving Ashanti the "Aretha Franklin Entertainer of The Year" award in 2002.

If the only pleasure we can derive from this show is clowning it, I'd rather it didn't happen.

Soul Train Music Awards Derailed [Reuters]

nOvaMatic  |  04/16/2008 at 11:45 AM  |  Comments (2)  |  Permalink

Old School Rappers Selling Out...In A Good Way

 

Remember back in the day when MC Hammer was chastised for building his own media empire, complete with a cartoon in his likeness, a Pepsi endorsement, and enough money to employ his entourage that employed half of Oakland? Or remember how Daddy-O from Stetsasonic got all that flack for voicing the Polly-O string cheese-loving parrot? It sure is funny how times change and everybody and their grandmother is trying to start a record label/fashion label to emulate Diddy or Master P. or Jermaine Dupri or any of the handful of artists/producers who have built an empire by branding their plush and rich lifestyle. 

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ill Mami  |  04/15/2008 at 11:00 AM  |  Comments (1)  |  Permalink

Did Pharrell Bite Peven Everett?

 

In the clip below Peven Everett does a side-by-side comparison of his "Party of the Year" to Britney's "Sugarfall", produced by Pharrell. Yes, the compositional similarities are glaring, but pay close attention to Peven's voiceover along with the imagery used in the clip. He's calling out more than just Pharrell. Of course, Peven's no stranger to putting people on blast. I know what I hear, and although I'm not taking sides on this issue, it continues to amaze me how artists that are more widely-known would flagrantly appropriate the work of an indie. Of course, the infraction won't reach the awareness of many, as folks like Pharrell and his ilk are protected by piles and piles of money. What say you? [DotSpotter]

nOvaMatic  |  04/02/2008 at 11:14 AM  |  Comments (8)  |  Permalink