This ongoing battle over who is in, and who is out, with regards to a new rumored Aaliyah album is coming to a head. First Drake dropped his homage, to the late great music icon to mixed reviews. Personally, I enjoyed it. Like art, music is objective. I took it as the Canadian’s interpretation of how he viewed Aaliyah sounded in this post social media era. However almost immediately, the Blackground singer’s family came out denouncing –or celebrating it (depending on who’s blog you visit).
Legendary producers Missy Elliot and Timbaland are also rumored to be unimpressed with Drake creating anything with Aaliyah’s sound and not including them –or something like that, don’t quote me. And in an attempt to clear up all the rumors, they’ve releaed a joint statement, which you know I have below.
Lopez says, “Missy Elliott has confirmed that she and producing partner Timbaland will not be participating in the upcoming posthumous album of R&B songstress Aaliyah:”
“Although Missy and Timbaland always strive to keep the memory of their close friend alive, we have not been contacted about the project nor are there any plans at this time to participate”, says Mona Scott-Young, longtime manager for Missy Elliott, “We’ve seen the reports surfacing that they have been confirmed to participate but that is not the case. Both Missy and Timbaland are very sensitive to the loss still being felt by the family so we wanted to clear up any misinformation being circulated.”
Says Missy Elliott, “Tim and I carry Aaliyah with us everyday, like so many of the people who love her. She will always live in our hearts. We have nothing but love and respect for her memory and for her loved ones left behind still grieving her loss. They are always in our prayers.”
So there you go. Personally I’m down with make music not war. Aaliyah doesn’t belong to one person or one company. A new album with all collaborators would be ideal. But its clear we shouldn’t hold our breath.
Even with all this accolades, album sales and sold out shows, it appears even rapper Drake can be swindled out of his just due by the greedy and oftentimes desperate people of the entertainment industry. The story seems a bit complicated, but I will do my best to break it down.
Per published reports, James “Jas” Prince introduced Drake to Lil Wayne and his managers with hopes of getting him signed. Obviously they did and Drake’s management became Aspire Music Group (Cortez Bryant and Derrick Lawrence), Laurant Management and Three Kings. However it seems that after numerous hit singles and millions of album sold, Aubrey Graham aka Drizzy hasn’t received all his royalties.
Though Drake isn’t named as a plaintiff in the lawsuit, the money he’s generated during his career is causing some issues for the man who discovered him and the teams who are managing him.
Here’s a further breakdown:
James Prince claims that after discovering Drake, he entered into an oral agreement with the defendants in which they said they would use their connections and influence to get Drake signed by Lil Wayne and to promote Drake once he was signed. In exchange, Prince would take the lead in managing Drake and profits would be split accordingly.
After the oral agreement was made, Cortez Bryant went and signed Drake to an exclusive management deal without telling Prince.
Prince claims that he never received his cut of the money and that the original agreement with Bryant was not honored. He believes that Bryant is trying to cut him out of the business completely.
In an attempt to resolve the issue, both parties entered a settlement agreement, but Prince claims he was never paid, and the reason he was given was that Drake hasn’t been paid either.
James is seeking accounting information and monetary relief for all breaches of contract.
Not for nothing, but who in the HELL would make an oral agreement with a bunch of thugs? And I can’t help but also wonder who the hell gets in bed with their record label also acting as their management. The implications are huge and blinding. This is yet another cautionary tale of how everybody wants to play mogul but don’t have the smarts for it.
While I have NEVER worked for YMCMB, their business practices are LEGENDARY. I hear they don’t pay royalties. Period. And you can do a simple google search and find numerous lawsuits filed for doing just that. Not Paying. Super-Producer Bangladesh filed a lawsuit just last year or the year before over NEVER being made for Lil Wayne’s smash “A Milli”.
You people need to learn how to get your paper work signed and line your ducks up first. I’m sure Drake will be fine. But I can’t help but wonder what strain this will put on the YMCMB family. Nicki Minaj better call up her lawyers and make sure her own contract is straight.
It’s sh*t like this that makes doing what you love nothing short of a pain in the ass.
The pressure of today’s entertainment industry is a great one. The stress can be all consuming. And it sends many over the edge to the point of no return. Young Money artist Drake talks about the overwhelming feeling in a brand new interview, and even admits to delving into drugs to cope with fame.
“I can’t lie to you,” he deadpans, “I read what they have to say and it’s … character-building.” He used to find it mortally wounding. “There have been times when a negative comment about me would be the be all and end all, and I’d wonder, Why do you hate me so much? Why would you tell me that you want to kill my mom or see me dead?”
It’s a fair question, one that Drake has grown accustomed to asking. “It’s scary for me to say this on record,” he says, “but artists are only human, and we seek validation like everyone else. You just have to come to the conclusion that it’s OK, there are going to be people who like you and people who don’t. Luckily there are millions of people who love me and a few who don’t.”
Far from an R&B loverman (there was also once some kind of romance with Rihanna), Drake undercuts his every boast with a melancholy that is eminently seductive. He even talks, in We’ll Be Fine, about suicide. “I say: ‘Never thoughts of suicide, I’m too alive,’” he points out, but even to mention the subject in a song, considering his wealth and fame, is strange. “Yeah, I know,” he says, “because you get artists in this position who go crazy and don’t know how to handle it. There are people who have killed themselves. There’s the overwhelming stress, how tired you are, the weight on your shoulders of going out here and giving 18,000 people entertainment … It’s a lot of pressure.”
How do you handle it? Drugs?
“Have I sipped codeine before?” he asks for me. “Yeah, of course. Have I smoked weed? Yes. Do I drink wine? Yes. But do I do it excessively? No. I’m not a reckless guy. I do it all within moderation. I’m not into drugs.” He realizes what he has just said, and bursts out laughing, as do his crew. “I mean any outside the ones I just mentioned.”
Though I’m no fan of Drizzy, I can really appreciate his candor. I’ve been saying it for years, but it’s great to see a celebrity admit it. They are human just like the rest of us. Thus they are exactly like you and me. They need validation, and, like many of us, cope with life with drugs and alcohol.
It looks like a lot of today’s top music stars are a bunch of smoke and mirrors. While other artists sit on the shelf waiting for their shot at the charts, acts like Rihanna and Young Jeezy aren’t performing as well as many would have hoped they would.
Sure they look the part, but numbers don’t lie.
Check this weeks sales wrap by Cyrus over at SOHH.com:
Leading the way this week is Drake’s Take Care album staying at No. 4 with 29,200 copies. The rapper’s sophomore album has shelled out 1,349,800 copies after ten weeks in stores.
R&B singer Rihanna’s Talk That Talk trails closely behind moving up two slots to No. 5 with 20,200. With nine weeks knocked out, RiRi’s latest offering has sold 583,400 records.
Atlanta rapper Young Jeezy’s Thug Motivation 103: Hustlerz Ambition stayed put at No. 6 with 19,400. Moving into his sixth week in stores, the Snowman’s long-awaited album has moved 380,200 units.
Rap duo LMFAO’s Sorry for Party Rocking dropped two slots to No. 13 with 16,400. With 31 weeks in the books, their newest album has sold 582,100 copies.
R&B veteran Mary J. Blige’s My Life II…The Journey Continues moved up five notches to No. 23 with 11,900. Headed into her tenth week, the singer’s newest album has sold 439,300 copies.
Grammy-winning rapper Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter IV slipped a spot to No. 30 with 10,600. With 21 weeks knocked out, Weezy’s summer release has pushed 1,957,200 units.
Late singer Amy Winehouse’s Lioness: Hidden Treasures also dropped a notch to No. 32 with 9,900. Moving into its second full month, the singer’s posthumous release stands at 318,900 sold copies.
Soulful singer Anthony Hamilton’s Back to Love dropped 17 slots to No. 40 with 8,300. Moving into its seventh week in stores, the album has sold 155,100 records.
In the ever-changing digital space, the endless debate over whether or not music albums leaking online helps or hurts record labels remains constant. We’ve examined the issue on BET Sound Off several times throughout the years. And while most are hard-pressed to find anyone neutral on the matter, Wheelchair Jimmy aka Drake seems to be that guy this week.
One of hip hop’s most anticipated albums has leaked a full week before it’s due to hit stores and iTunes. Take Care, the follow-up to Young Money/Cash Money artist Drake’s critically acclaimed album, Thank Me Later, is everywhere online. Sources close to the situation who I contacted expressed slight alarm due to the popularity of the Canadian-born actor-turned-rapper. But it seems Drizzy himself isn’t too pressed, as he took to his twitter page to express:
“I am not sure if the album leaked. But if it did thank god it doesn’t happen a month early anymore.
Listen, enjoy it, buy it if you like it…and take care until next time.”
A melancholy approach to the situation, the “Headlines” hit-maker isn’t new to giving his music away free to the fans. Back in May, the MC caused a sh*t storm with his record company by leaking “Dreams Money Can Buy,” from his forthcoming sophomore album. Besides offering a download link, the post contained this message: “A song that I felt the need to share. Not my single. Just a piece of my story. Hear me out though …” Reportedly, “Dreams Money Can Buy” is Take Care’s intro track. Drake’s blog post was accompanied by an image with text that reads, “This is a story of dreams mixed with reality.”
Considered an unconventional promotional tool, artists giving their music away to the fans that support them is a business calculation that simply won’t sit well with struggling music companies. Days after the self-imposed leak, Universal Music began targeting hip hop blogs around the world — and even went after 50 Cent’s This is 50.com. The attack was publicly denounced by most hip hop fans — and the artist himself. So while it’s no surprise Drake has taken a more laid-back approach to the leak, the impact the unauthorized action will have remains to be seen.
Here is a picture circulating the internet of the worlds favorite rapper Drake or a Drake look a like. Either way it gave me a chuckle. Word on the street Drake hates the gay jokes, but he could have gotten a job at the Family Dollar as a stock boy and he wouldn’t bare the brunt of so many jokes. But I’m sure those millions helps him get over it.
