Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Jamie Foxx Signs On For New SyFy Horror Series


Jamie Foxx will have the opportunity to work behind the camera as the director and writer of a newly scripted series for the SyFy channel.The 5-series horror show, described asa modern day Tales From the Crypt, will premier during the SyFy channel’s annual 31 Days of Halloween marathon.
Foxx shared his excitement on joining the project in a recent interview. “This is a project that I’ve wanted to to do for a long time and I’m so happy to see it come to life… Get ready to lose it when some special friends and I bring the cares this October, and who knows… maybe I’ll make a guest appearance or two along the way.”

YOUNG MONEY STARS JUGGLE REALITY TV OFFERS: "I WANT MY FANS TO SEE ME AS A STAR"


Young Money's Shanell aka SNL and Tyga recently talked about the perception of musicians doing reality television and revealed if fans can expect to see them on the small screen soon.
According to Shanell, she and her sister D. Woods are considering the reality jump.
"We've been approached about that several times. I've tried to stay away from it but she's open to it. For me, it's just about getting the right people to put it together. A lot of reality TV has it pros and it's cons. I just wanna make sure that when it comes to family we don't have any wrong light shed on us." (VIBE)
In a separate interview, Shanell's Young Money labelmate admittedhe has no interest in putting his personal life in the spotlight.
"I don't want to do no reality show right now," Tyga said in an interview. "I think if I was older, if I was like, 'All right, I'm getting to my last end,' with paper or something, I think I might be like, 'All right, I'm going to do a reality show now.' But nah, I want my fans to see me as a star, as an entertainer. All that personal stuff is kind of like, you already got Instagram, Twitter and all that, and the Internet, so I don't really want to do that right now." ("The Breakfast Club")
Last summer, rapper and "Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta" star Lil Scrappy spoke to SOHH about hip-hop artists swaying away from the reality television trend.
"I'm going to be honest with you, I don't think [it's rappers being less] camera shy, I just think there's certain people that let it be known they are super thugs and they are super human and if they were to let people into their life and have them find out that they weren't super, that they just like them, they probably wouldn't feel them as much. Whatever they would try to put out there [on store shelves] wouldn't work, you feel me? Only certain people can be loved for being real. Sometimes people are a little too real, get carried away and so you wouldn't know." (SOHH)
Over the winter, Midwest rapper Freddie Gibbs shared his opinionon hip-hop artists taking on reality television.
"I think that's wack. I think you weak if you're on a reality show, really," Gibbs said when asked for his take on rappers landing starring roles in reality television shows. "You know what I mean? I think you should just do your music and do your thing and if you're mad at me saying that, come see me." (WGCI)

‘Think Like A Man’ Sequel Gets Release Date




The movie’s sequel, which will be called Think Like A Man Too, is set to hit the big screen May 30, 2014,according to Shadow and Act. While the film based off of Steve Harvey’s best-selling relationship book will be produced by the same producer (Will Packer) and written by the same writers (Keith Merryman and David A. Newman), it has yet to be seen whether the entire cast will return.
Think Like A Man Too is supposedly shooting before the end of this year so we will find out soon enough.

Griner No. 1 Pick by Phoenix Mercury in WNBA Draft


BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) — Brittney Griner is ready for a new challenge.WNBA Draft Basketball
After dominating women’s college basketball for the past four years, Griner will head to Phoenix. The Mercury took the two-time AP Player of the Year with the top pick in the WNBA draft Monday night.
The city welcomed her with a giant billboard and renamed a street near the arena.
Griner admitted she was nervous before the draft despite knowing she was going to be taken first.
“I thought I was going to have a heart attack at the table,” she said.
Griner is excited about getting the chance to play with Diana Taurasi and the other talented players on the Mercury.
“I’m bringing the dunking element of my game to Phoenix,” Griner said. “Everyone would love to see Dee throw that alley-oop, I catch it and slam it. The high energy I bring to the table.”
Mercury coach Corey Gaines said it took about a second for the team to decide on their choice.
“I think with the talent we have already, and it’s not going to be all forced on her to do everything, it makes her even more of a game changer because there’s no pressure on her, she can just do the things that she does naturally — rebound, block shots, putbacks and then as it goes on, she’ll learn more,” Gaines said.
The 6-foot-8 star finished as the second all-time scorer in women’s NCAA history, with 3,283 points. She owns the shot block record, shattering both the men’s and women’s college marks with 748. She also had a record 18 dunks — including 11 this season.
WNBA President Laurel Richie opened the draft by offering the league’s thoughts and prayers to those affected by the bombings in Boston. She said earlier in the evening that the WNBA had discussions whether to hold the draft before deciding to go ahead with it.
Soon after the draft started, she announced Griner as the first choice.
Griner joins a very talented Mercury squad that was plagued by injuries most of last season. Taurasi played in only eight games and Penny Taylor missed the entire year while recovering from an ACL injury. Candice Dupree also missed 21 games because of a knee injury.
“I’m ready to get there and ready to learn from (Taurasi),” Griner said. “I got to play with her a little bit at USA Basketball. I’m ready to feed off her and give all I can to the Phoenix Mercury.”
Phoenix had the second-worst record and a 28 percent chance of getting the first pick. Washington, which had the worst record in the league, picked fourth.
“We have a team of All-Stars already,” Phoenix Mercury President Amber Cox said. “To add her to the mix solidifies us for a long time. When Phoenix comes to town it will be must-see basketball.”
The Mercury have had the first pick in the draft two other times, including when they took Taurasi in 2004.
It was an eventful day for Griner. Not only was she the top pick, but she bumped into her skateboarding idol, Tony Hawk, who was also at ESPN.
“Getting drafted being the No. 1 overall pick that was above it, but Tony’s right there at No. 2,” Griner said.
Like Phoenix, Chicago added a budding star to an already stacked roster that just missed making the playoffs last season, taking Elena Delle Donne with the No. 2 pick. The 6-foot-5 forward, who can play multiple positions, was second in the nation in scoring (26.0) and averaged 8.5 rebounds. She finished her career at Delaware with 3,039 career points — fifth all-time in NCAA history.
“This is a phenomenal team I’m joining, mentors who will help me out along the way,” Delle Donne said. “I’ll learn a ton from these players. We definitely have a great team. I felt I was a good puzzle piece for this team. You don’t say where you want to go before it was happening, but Chicago was my pick and I wanted to go there really badly.”
Tulsa took Notre Dame guard Skylar Diggins with the third pick. Diggins averaged 17.1 points, 6.1 assists and 3.1 steals while helping the Irish reach the Final Four the past three seasons.
“When I entered Notre Dame we had lost in the first round of the tournament the year before,” Diggins said. “At the end of my career we had brought the program back to an elite level. I’m looking forward to get to Tulsa and show my leadership skills.”
While the first three picks were almost a lock, the rest of the draft was a bit more of a mystery with no clear-cut choices going in.
Washington took Ohio State guard Tayler Hill fourth.
“I didn’t know for sure,” Hill said. “I talked to a few WNBA coaches. I talked to coach (Mike) Thibault a few times and he was excited about me. I’m excited, really a feeling you can’t explain.”
The New York Liberty and new coach Bill Laimbeer took Texas A&M’s Kelsey Bone fifth and then two picks later drafted Oklahoma State’s Toni Young. Seattle, which will be without Lauren Jackson and Sue Bird this season because of injuries, took Maryland’s Tianna Hawkins in between the Liberty picks.
San Antonio took Syracuse center Kayla Alexander eighth, Cal’s Layshia Clarendon went ninth to Indiana. Los Angeles took Kentucky’s A’dia Mathies 10th. Connecticut drafted UConn forward Kelly Faris 11th and Minnesota closed out the first round by picking Nebraska’s Lindsey Moore.
“There’s no question that this draft class has potential to be a moment in time and we’ll look back 10, 20 years and remember that class that came in with Brittney, Skylar and Elena,” Richie said. “Having spent the last two days with a couple of the other prospects there are a couple surprises in there too.”
This was the first season that the draft was televised in prime time.
Training camps open May 5, with the league’s 17th season set to being on May 24.

Danielle Diego Promoted To EVP Fox Music, Will Oversee Music Supervision For All Fox Films


20th Century Fox Film has promoted Danielle Diego to executive vice president, Fox Music.  In her new position she will be responsible for overseeing music supervision for films across all Fox Film Divisions: 20th Century Fox Film, Fox Searchlight, Fox 2000 and Fox Animation.
Diego, who has worked for Fox for 17 years, formerly served as SVP of Fox Music and music supervised numerous films, including: “Rio,” “X-Men: The Last Stand,” “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” and most recently “Life of Pi” which won both the Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Original Score.
Joe Hartwick, Fox’s president of physical production, said in a statement, “Danielle has been a key member of our Fox family since she joined the company.  Her combination of experience and insights into our ever-evolving business have been invaluable.”

Kanye West Sued Over ‘Gold Digger’ Sample


Kanye West Sued Over ‘Gold Digger’ Sample
By// Mariah Craddick
Kanye West’s 2005 smash “Gold Digger” is virtually what put him on the map as a bonafide crossover star but it also put him at risk for some legal drama.  Two people are alleging that he lifted a sample of another song without crediting it for his famous hook: “Get down girl, go ‘head, get down.”
According to MTV.comTrena Steward and Lorenzo Pryor are suing West for supposedly sampling their father David Pryor’s 1974 song “Bumpin’ Bus Stop” by his group Thunder & Lightning. In the song their father, who died in 2006, repeats “get down” three times – apparently echoing Kanye’s hook.
The two each own one-quarter of the song and requested that the judge in the case stop the sale of the song – even though it’s been out for eight years already. They are also asking for “millions of dollars” in damages.
You can hear the song in question below (around :20 second mark). Do you think Kanye sampled it or they’re just digging for gold?

Dr. J Documentary to air on NBA TV in June


Dr J Documentary Basketball
NEW YORK (AP) — An upcoming documentary will look at the life and career of Julius Erving, on the 30th anniversary of his only NBA championship.
“The Doctor” will air on NBA TV on June 10, between games of the NBA Finals. The 90-minute program features rare footage from his ABA career. Dr. J later came to the NBA and helped the Philadelphia 76ers win the 1983 title.
One of basketball’s best-known high flyers, the Hall of Famer reflects on his high school days in New York. He ended up back on Long Island with the New York Nets of the ABA.
Miami Heat president Pat Riley says, “Unless you played against him or unless you watched him in his prime, you didn’t realize how great he was.”

A$AP Ferg Confirms Guest Features For "Work (Remix)"


The A$AP Mob is deep with crew members, but when it's time for an individual from the 
brotherhood to shine, the Uptown boys know how to play their roles. Up next from the collective 
is A$AP Ferg. 
The Harlem spitta brings monstrous hooks, flows from beyond and undeniable star power
 to the crowded table.
2012 was A$AP Rocky's year. However, the momentum from Ferg's single "Work" has brought
 the spotlight on him. This year, all eyes are on Fergenstein. He's on the verge of releasing the 
"Work (Remix)," which the Harlem rapper says will include guest verses from Rocky, Schoolboy 
Q, French Montana, and Trinidad James "It's true. I'm not going to lie about it [Laughs]," Ferg 
confirms to VIBE with a smile. "People know it already. I try to keep secrets but it's like the more 
I try to hold it, the more it slips away from me."
This past Monday (Apr.15), Ferg finished shooting the final scenes for the upcoming music video
 at New York's famed Rucker Park. Both the official remix and visuals are expected to drop in the
 upcoming weeks.
"We also did some scenes in L.A.," Ferg tells VIBE. "This is my biggest record to date. It's 
getting me noticed everywhere, so you know the remix is about to be stupid."
Currently, Ferg is finishing up his debut solo mixtape, 'Trap Lord."

SoundExchange Distributed $118 Million in First Quarter



SoundExchange announced Tuesday it distributed $117.5 million of digital performance royalties in the first quarter. The amount was a first-quarter record for the organization but was down from the $122.5 million and $134.9 million distributed in the third and fourth quarters of 2012, respectively 
Sound“Our first quarter numbers show that this digital radio revenue stream is continuing to grow," said SoundExchange President, Michael Huppe in a statement. Internet radio, satellite radio and cable radio services pay statutory royalties for the performance of sound recordings. SoundExchange distributes those royalties to record labels, performing artists and non-featured musicians via a fund administered by the American Federation of Musicians and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
 
Because SoundExchange distributions don't match exactly the royalties that are accrued in a given quarter, the amounts distributed may not always show the growth in digital radio from one quarter to the next. But when viewed over multiple quarters (see above), it's clear that Internet radio and satellite radio, SoundExchange's two main revenue categories, are growing at a healthy rate. The most recent distributions are nearly 34% greater than the $88 million in the third quarter of 2011.

SoundExchange collects royalties only from services that have elected to use the compulsory license allowed by U.S. copyright law. Thus, SoundExchange will not collect royalties when a service has negotiated directly with a record label. Apple is negotiating direct licenses with record labels and will pay royalties directly to record labels. SiriusXM has made direct deals with dozens of independent labels and Clear Channel has made a handful of direct deals with independent labels.