Saturday, July 24, 2010

Dr. Dre Gets Hit For $1.2 Mil, Lawsuit Filed Over Unpaid Studio Sessions

News: Dr. Dre Gets Hit For $1.2 Mil, Lawsuit Filed Over Unpaid Studio Sessions


Friday, Jul 23, 2010 11:02PM



Written by Cyrus Langhorne


Renowned producer Dr. Dre has reportedly been sued for over $1.2 million by Paramount Recordings Studios over unpaid studio sessions.



According to reports, the "Doc" missed a deadline to pay for rented studio time.



Controversial rapper Dr. Dre is being sued by Paramount Recording Studios for $1,220, 500 for breach of contract, RadarOnline.com learned on Friday. The lawsuit claims that the musician, also known as Andre Young, and his record label Aftermath Entertainment rented "recording studios and services" but failed to pay the agreed amount despite multiple invoices. According to court documents, Dr. Dre promised to pay the money owed by July 13. When the date passed, music powerhouse Paramount Recording Studios took legal action in an attempt to get their huge bill paid. (Radar Online)

Earlier this year, Dre filed a lawsuit over unpaid Chronic royalties.



Dr. Dre claims it's been 14 years since he's seen a penny from hisgame changing record, "The Chronic" -- and he's belatedly waging a war against the new Death Row Records. Why you ask would the good Dr. wait so long? We're guessing there's a fear factor that has evaporated since Suge Knight is out of the picture. Dre filed the federal lawsuit against WIDEawake Death Row -- which was created after Death Row filed for bankruptcy last year. In the lawsuit, Dre claims he stopped getting checks from the label after he cut and ran in '96. Dre says the new Death Row has been making lots of money by selling digital copies of "Chronic," "Chronic Re-Lit" and his greatest hits album without permission. Dre is suing for $75,000 minimum. (TMZ)

However, he later lost the court battle in California.



On Monday, a California district court tossed his claims that Death Row's release of "The Chronic Re-Lit" violated his rights of trademark and publicity. However, the judge allowed another claim -- that he hasn't been paid royalties since splitting from Death Row in 1996 -- to be heard. In analyzing the case, California District Court Judge Christina Snyder applied the so-called "Monty Python" rule, after a 1976 case where a defendant extensively edited the TV comedy series in order to broadcast it on television. The question was whether the changes to Dr. Dre's album were more than "cosmetic." Snyder ruled the alterations were "minor and inconsequential." She also pointed out that the image used on the cover jacket is the same photograph from the original album, instead of a more current photo, which may have gone further to imply some new endorsement. (ABC News)

Doc is currently in the studio putting together his long-awaited Detox album.



"Absolutely, I'm leaving this event and heading right to the studio," Dre said from the 23rd ASCAP Awards when asked about a Detox release. "I'm getting it cracking and trying to put it out by the end of the fall. I'm trying to give everyone what they've been waiting for and make sure they're not disappointed. This it, that's all I'm doing. [The leaked 'Under Pressure' was] absolutely not [real.] I didn't get a chance to finish the record, the vocals are real rough, it's not blended right and there's not even a hook on the song. It's not done, the music's not done, it's just one of those things we have to deal with today in this business because of technology and all of that. It's real easy for somebody to steal your sh*t so what can you do?" (Hard Knock TV)
 
From SOHH.com
 
http://www.sohh.com/2010/07/dr_dre_slapped_w_12_mil_hit_lawsuit_file.html

Friday, July 23, 2010

Drake Prematurely Calls "Thank Me Later" Platinum

News: Drake Prematurely Calls "Thank Me Later" Platinum


Friday, Jul 23, 2010 3:49PM



Written by Rosario Harper


Young Money's Drake has thanked fans prematurely for helping his Thank Me Later debut reach platinum status assuming the album has sold over a million copies since its release last month.



Writing on his Twitter page, Drake thanked his supporters for their purchases.



"Thank you to everyone who allowed us to go platinum on a debut album! WOW," Drake wrote Thursday (July 22). (Drake's Twitter)

The rapper's debut is inching closer to a million sold units.



Following closely behind is Drake's Thank Me Later which slid one slot to No. 3 with 50,300. After five weeks in stores, Drizzy's debut album has pushed out 833,100 units. (SOHH Sales Wrap)

He has already begun thinking about a sophomore project.



"Well I have some time coming up, so I am already trying to figure out where in the world I am going to start this next album. I have had some discussions with Oliver, who is my creative partner, I know the story I am going to tell, obviously since my story continues naturally but its just more like what is the approach we are going to take." (All Hip Hop)

Drake has also announced the launch of an upcoming tour.



The Canadian rapper has announced dates for a fall tour. "AT&T Presents The Light Dreams and Nightmares Tour" is scheduled to kick off on September 21 in Miami and travel to major cities, winding down November 4 in Los Angeles. Virginia duo Clipse will serve as the supporting act on the Live Nation production. (Rap-Up)
 
From SOHH.com
 
http://www.sohh.com/2010/07/drake_pre-maturely_calls_thank_me_later.html

Swizz Beatz Recruits Jay-Z & Drake For New Record

News: Swizz Beatz Recruits Jay-Z & Drake For New Record


Friday, Jul 23, 2010 1:40PM

Written by Rosario Harper

Producer Swizz Beatz has updated fans on the status of his upcoming untitled solo album and said that guest appearances will include Jay-Z, Drake and more.



Beatz is also going to feature his soon-to-be wife, Alicia Keys, on the record.



"I'm working on my album which is super incredible," he tells OK!. "Got everybody on there from Jay-Z to John Legend to Mary [J. Blige] to Drake. Super amazing album. I'm also working on Lenny Kravitz new album, working with Cold Play. When you're in album mode and you're in producing mode, working with any great artist you have fun and try to create the best music you can create. On one song [Alicia] just played keys on. I dont know, cause I dont know which one I'm going to use. I have a few songs. I'm probably going to drop my single with Mary before the summer is over. I'm shooting for that and I'm looking for fall to be Swizz Beatz mania." (OK Magazine)

Earlier this year, Beatz promised to take an experimental approach with the new album.



"2010, I feel is my graduation year," Beatz said in an interview. "And so I'm gonna graduate my brand, my image, my music, my sound, my audience, my reach, everything. So my album is gonna reflect that. I traveled to different countries collecting sounds and bringing it back to the culture because nobody's really raising the bar. And with music, there are things artists are just getting by with and I feel we just need to bring something more tangible to the table so where it's not like a bubble gum factory where the fans are just chewing up the latest flavor and spitting it out. Music used to be something you wanted to put on your shelf as a trophy because it takes you to a moment in time, it takes you to an era, it takes you to that feeling so I think that adding different elements that's not expected, that's not overexposed, that's something new, we can make those moments in time again." (Rap-Up TV)

Last January, the producer tweeted about using global sounds on his next solo album.



"MY NEW ALBUM IS GOING TO BE OUT OF THIS WORLD 2010STYLE IM MIXING INDIAN MUSIC WITH ARABIC SOUNDS MEETS BDP! YOU WILL SEE.NEW SOUND TIME!," he wrote onTwitter Monday (January 4) morning. "IM GIVING 30% OF THE $ MADE ON MY ALBUM TO ART & MUSIC SCHOOLS IN NEED SO WE CAN KEEP THE KIDS DOING POSITIVE THINGS WITH THERE LIFE ! ALSO FOR MY ALBUM IM GETTING NEW TALENT FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO BE APART OF THIS NOT JUST THE SAME OLD PEOPLE YOU HEAR 500 TIMES A WEEK! I WANT TALENT THATS BEEN LOST& OVER SEEN ON MY ALBUM LIKE FROM AFRICA,ASIA,INDIA,HATI, ETC YOU NAME IT ! ITS TIME TO SET THE BAR HIGH! 2010." (Swizz Beatz's Twitter)

The upcoming solo project would be his latest since 2007.



It wasn't until his first solo album, 2002's G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories, that he started to get notices for his production style and interesting ideas. The next five years would find him landing hit after hit and becoming more in demand with each production. In 2007 he released the infectious single "It's Me Snitches" to promote the coming full-length One Man Band. (All Music)
 
From SOHH.com
 
http://www.sohh.com/2010/07/swizz_beatz_recruits_jay-z_drake_for_new.html

Young Buck Says 50 Cent Is Trying To Destroy His Career

Young Buck Says 50 Cent Is Trying To Destroy His Career


Friday, July 23, 2010 10:52 AM


By Roman Wolfe

(AllHipHop News) Nashville, Tennessee rapper Young Buck recently took aim at 50 Cent, revealing the Queens-rapper is still feuding with him and attempting to destroy his career.



Young Buck was once a member of 50 Cent’sG-Unit collective.



Under his tenure with 50’s G-Unit Records, the rapper was featured on the hit album Beg for Mercy, while his follow-up, Welcome to Cashville went platinum.



But Young Buck was unceremoniously kicked out of G-Unit for allegedly being disloyal to the group in April of 2008.



50 Cent has been at odds with the Nashville rapper ever since.



According to Young Buck, 50 Cent is blackballing him from the rap game and preventing him from working with other artists, due to his contractual obligation to G-Unit.



"His reaction, being so harsh, is to basically stall me out to a position where I lose everything, to where my numbers drop," Young Buck told the Nashville Scene in a new interview. "Because if you don't have a new product out, then you can't go get the big dollar for your shows. [He wants] to pretty much destroy my life from a silent-sided way of doing things. That's his angle, and my contracts allow him to be able to do that."



Young Buck stated that he is still very much in demand as an artist and has had the opportunity to work with a variety of artists, including longtime affiliate Lil Wayne.



But 50 Cent is allegedly preventing Young Buck from making guest appearances, which would raise his profile in addition to putting money in his pocket.



"The problem is, I go to be a feature on their hit record, and then they have to go to 50 Cent to clear me on the record, and he says, 'No.' And they're looking like, 'Well, damn' — cause if it wasn't for that I would probably be on every record that's out right now, cause everybody and their mama reaches out and gives me support," a frustrated Young Buck said.



Despite the allegations against 50 Cent, Young Buck is continuing to push forward with his career.



In addition to releasing a variety of mixtapes, the rapper’s Young Buck Foundation will host a Celebrity All-Star weekend from August 27th-29th, to raise money for flood victims and for children who need school supplies.

From AllHipHop.com
 
http://allhiphop.com/stories/news/archive/2010/07/23/22307802.aspx

Gucci Mane Talks New Album, 1017 Brick Squad

Gucci Mane Talks New Album, 1017 Brick Squad

July 23, 2010 07:18:00 AM CDT

by Edwin Ortiz

In a recent interview with Yahoo! Music, Gucci Mane spoke on the concept behind his new album, his take on music sales, and compared his Brick Squad 1017 group to that of a certain famous 1990’s record label.



After dropping his major label debut The State vs. Radric Davis last winter, the Atlanta rapper is set to release his sophomore effort The Appeal: Georgia’s Most Wanted next month. Stating that the album is nearly 80% done, he explained, “It's actually the sequel to The State vs. Radric Davis, my last album. It's just about second chances, about never giving up.”



While The State vs. Radric Davis has sold favorably well for 2009-10 numbers, Gucci Mane theorized that the overall decline of album sales may actually be beneficial for fans and artists alike. "People aren't selling as many records as they were selling in the '90s, but [that’s] great for the fans. The artists that you love, they got to do more now.”



Continuing, he said, "Me, I love to work anyway. Of course, I'd love to sell a trillion CDs, but at the end of the day, I love making music the most. The more I do it the better I get. It’s not making me stale; it's making me fresher."



After his album makes its way to record store shelves, Gucci projected protégé Waka Flocka Flame’s debut Murder-Man Flocka will come immediately afterward, followed by the release of 1017 Brick Squad crew’s (Gucci Mane, Waka Flocka Flame, OJ Da Juiceman) currently-untitled collaborative project.



Loosely comparing Brick Squad to Death Row Records, Gucci Mane explained, “'Pac, Dre, Snoop, and the Dogg Pound…I can’t say which person is which, but as far as just musically, we got people who have been doing it for a long time, newcomers, and people who just play they role. We got a championship team, we just practicing to get ready for the game.”

The Appeal: Georgia’s Most Wanted is tentatively scheduled for an August 31 release through 1017 Brick Squad/Asylum/Warner Brothers.

From HipHopDX.com
 
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.11774/title.gucci-mane-talks-new-album-1017-brick-squad

Thursday, July 22, 2010

DMX And Tashera Simmons Are Officially Separated

DMX And Tashera Simmons Are Officially Separated

July 22, 2010 11:56:00 AM CDT

by Danielle Harling

 DMX’s wife Tashera Simmons is officially moving past the rapper and on to bigger things. AllHipHop.com reports that Simmons has both a reality television show and a memoir in the works.



Simmons’ reality show, which has yet to be picked up by a network, will focus on how the family has dealt with DMX’s various legal and drug issues. The show will be titled Tashera Simmons….Life After X.



As far as Simmons’ memoir is concerned it will be co-authored by Aliya S. King and will detail Simmons’ life from childhood to adulthood. The memoir will of course touch on her relationship with DMX.



“I think reading my book, it explains everything,” Simmons explained to AllHipHop.com. “I’m talking about everything, from my childhood when I was abandoned by my mother and left to take care of my siblings, to when me and Earl (DMX) first met at 11 and we got together at 18 and I’m starting from there until then on…It’s a positive tell all."



There is no word yet on when Simmons’ memoir is expected to be released.

From HipHopDX.com

http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.11768/title.dmx-and-tashera-simmons-are-officially-separated

Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 7/18/2010

Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 7/18/2010

July 22, 2010 10:05:00 AM CDT

by Allen Jacobs

Eminem's Recovery will not budge from #1. While Drake's Thank Me Later bumped one spot to #3, Em fell just short of 1.5 million units cleared. Drake's So Far Gone finally crossed the 500,000 mark, giving the Rap sensation a gold plaque on both of his retail releases - and another from his role on We Are Young Money.







M.I.A. snagged a Top 10 debut with her latest, /\/\/\Y/\. Albeit titled poorly for Internet search engines, the Rap-friendly Electro-Pop princess went even more political with her latest Interscope release.



Outkast's Big Boi fell 11 spots to #14. The Atlanta Hip Hop pioneer is 10,000+ units shy of the six-figure mark with his critically-acclaimed Def Jam debut, Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty. The release features artists such as T.I., Gucci Mane and Too Short, with production from Organized Noize, Scott Storch and Lil Jon. Big Boi's new label-mate, The-Dream, fell eight units to #12 with Love-King.



Usher's Raymond v. Raymond maintained Top 20. The veteran Pop entertainer's "divorce album" is marching its way to a platinum plaque for Mr. Raymond and his longtime backer, LaFace Records.





* Please note: figures below approximated to nearest thousandth.



Top 200 Album Sales (Top 5 Hip Hop/R&B)



Rank Artist Album This Week Est. Total

1

Eminem

Recovery

195,000

1,482,000



3

Drake Thank Me Later

50,000

833,000



9

M.I.A.

/\/\/\Y/\

28,000

29,000



14

Big Boi

Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty

26,000

89,000



20

Usher


Raymond v. Raymond
18,000

935,000



Former Young Money and No Limit Records artist Curren$y found a Top 40 debut with his Def Jam-distributed Pilot Talk. Produced by Reasonable Doubt architect Ski Beatz, and featuring Mos Def and Jay Electronica, the New Orleans emcee cleared over 10,000 first week units.







Two new chart appearances came courtesy of Paul Wall's latest, Heart of A Champion. The Swishahouse/Warner Brothers/Asylum release featured surprise collaborations courtesy of Jay Electronica, Raekwon and Kid Sister. The release fell just shy of a Top 50 debut. Meanwhile, despite critical acclaim, Capone-N-Noreaga's War Report 2 fought to stay in the Top 100. Executive produced by Raekwon, the EMI-distributed project features Nas, Busta Rhymes and several personnel carry-overs from CNN's acclaimed 1997 first War Report.



Florida rapper Plies found the 100,000 mark with his Atlantic Records' Goon Affiliated album. This is the fourth album from Plies to cross that benchmark.



Rank Artist Album This Week Est. Total

38

Curren$y


Pilot Talk
11,000

11,000



56

Paul Wall

Heart of A Champion

7,600

7,600



98

Capone-N-Noreaga

The War Report 2

4,600

4,700



111

Plies

Goon Affiliated

4,000

103,000



146

Drake

So Far Gone

3,300

500,000

From HipHopDX.com
 
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.11766/title.hip-hop-album-sales-the-week-ending-7-18-2010

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

John Gotti's Grandson Calls Out Rapper Rick Ross Over 'Teflon Don'

John Gotti's Grandson Calls Out Rapper Rick Ross Over 'Teflon Don'


Wednesday, July 21, 2010 10:09 AM

By Nolan Strong

(AllHipHop News) Rapper Rick Ross has drawn the wrath of John Gotti’s family for naming his album Teflon Don, the nickname of the infamous former leader of New York’s Gambino organized crime family.



Carmine Agnello, 24, is attempting to launch a career under the name Carmine Gotti.



Agnello blasted rapper Rick Ross in the New York Daily News for using the moniker on his latest album which was released yesterday (July 20th).



"My grandfather paid his dues for that nickname. That was my grandfather's life," Agnello said of John Gotti, who earned the nickname “Teflon Don” after winning multiple acquittals in the 1980’s and 1990’s.



"He should have asked for permission. A standup, respectable guy would come and ask 'If I could use the nickname,'" Agnello said. "I think he's a great artist, but you can't just start calling yourself that to sell records ...He wants to go for that whole image, but hey, be yourself."



Agnello’s comments come amidst a legal battle over Rick Ross’ actual rap name



Rick Ross, born William Leonard Roberts, adopted the rap name “Rick Ross,” presumably after “Freeway” Ricky Ross, a former Los Angeles cocaine kingpin.



Freeway Ricky is suing rapper Rick Ross over the use of his name and image.



Last week, Freeway Ricky lost the first round, when a judge refused his request to block the release of Teflon Don.



According to reports, Agnello’s father Carmine Agnello Sr., who married John Gotti’s daughter Victoria, is still a reputed member of the Gambino crime in New York.



Rick Ross’ former job as a correctional officer didn’t sit will with Carmine Agnello Jr.



“Only in America can you go from being a corrections officer to calling yourself Teflon Don," Agnello told the New York Daily News.

From AllHipHop.com
 
http://allhiphop.com/stories/news/archive/2010/07/21/22304058.aspx

Dr. Dre Makes Beats For Justin Bieber

Dr. Dre Makes Beats For Justin Bieber

July 20, 2010 04:31:00 PM CDT

by Salima Koroma

While Dr. Dre has inched his way closer to presenting fans with his long-awaited Detox album, he's also taken some time out to collaborate with other artists. He recently produced a song with Jay-Z, "Under Pressure," which is said to be the first single from the album and now he's reportedly teamed up with Justin Bieber to crank out some tracks.



The 16-year old pop star tweeted today, "Got to be in the studio with the legend himself Dr. Dre. Made a couple beats and he gave me some advice...i was hyped. can u blame me?" The young singer has gained co-signs not only from his mentor Usher, but also from rappers like Game. "He's another artist that breaks the color lines," Game told Rap-Up TV. "Everyone loves this kid and he seems like a good kid. More power to him."



Bieber's peer Sean Kingston also tweeted that he'd spent some time with Dre and Bieber in the studio.


From HipHopDX.com
 
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.11752/title.dr-dre-makes-beats-for-justin-bieber

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

B.o.B. Announces First Headlining Tour; Hits #1 In U.K.

B.o.B. Announces First Headlining Tour; Hits #1 In U.K.


Tuesday, July 20, 2010 10:22 AM

By Roman Wolfe

(AllHipHop News) Atlanta rapper B.oB. Has announced his first major headlining tour will start this August on the “Shootin’ For Stars" tour.



B.o.B. will hit the road from August to November, when he finished up his current tour of Australia, New Zealand and Japan.



The tour announcement comes amidst a busy schedule for B.o.B., who has dates lined up with The Black Eyed Peas (August 1st), Lollapalooza (August 6th) and the 5th Annual Summer Spirit Festival (August 7th) and other one-off dates.



"I just want to show people that there are endless possibilities of what you can do," B.o.B said in a statement. "You don't just have to be a rapper, you don't just have to be a trapper; you can be anything you want to be and whatever you do, just love it and it will show."



B.o.B. is riding the success of his debut album B.o.B. Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray, which hit #1 on Billboard’s Top 200 chart when it was released in April.



Additionally, B.o.B.’s latest single “Airplanes” featuring Hayley Williams of Paramore, is currently #1 in the U.K.



Tour dates will be announced in the coming weeks.

From AllHipHop.com
 
http://allhiphop.com/stories/news/archive/2010/07/20/22302874.aspx