Saturday, June 3, 2017

SMU student punished for flier response

by Shantell E Jamison 

Texas-based college student says she is just a step away from suspension after creating and handing out a flier that supported Black students.

25-year-old Emily Walker, who attends Southern Methodist University, is on disciplinary probation following a months-long investigation by officials linked to the university.
Walker says she created a flier last November titled, “Why White Women Should Date Black Men” in response to another flier titled, “Why White Women Shouldn’t Date Black Men.” The latter flier included a series of racist and offensive claims about Black men.
She believes that she did nothing wrong and is being unfairly targeted.


Walker printed out 150 fliers and distributed them on campus. One week later, she learned she was under investigation by the school. But what was supposed to be a quick process turned into an anxiety-filled investigation that resulted in her being placed on probation, Walker said.


Walker says the university felt her fliers added to an already tense and hostile environment on campus. While they contained risqué generalizations about White men, Walker says it was a satire meant to send a supportive message to African-American students on campus.
“If you do one thing wrong, you could be suspended and off this campus,” Walker said. “It tells me I can’t speak out for other people.” cont'd...read more

Read more articles like this at  www.ebony.com/ 

MONA SCOTT-YOUNG TO EXECUTIVE PRODUCE XSCAPE BIOPIC

Mona Scott-Young is spreading her wings and branching out into the world of biopics.  

This is quite different from the drama of reality television and the highly successful Love & Hip Hop series. 

OPRAH: OWN Passes on "Underground"

Nonetheless, staying true to the origins of Hip Hop one way or another, Young’s first biopic under her Monami Entertainment will tell the official story of the 90s girl group Xscape. This authorized biopic will feature the groups original members, Kandi Buruss-TuckerTameka “Tiny” Harris, and LaTocha and Tamika Scott.

SCOTT STORCH: Suge Knight Accusations!
Contrary to a recent announcement made by TV One which seems to be airing an unauthorized Xcape biopic in the near future, Young and the group members are still shopping their biopic around to networks.  cont'd Click HERE to read more


This article was originally published by thesource.com

Suge Knight Accused of Taking Advantage of Drugged Scott Storch in Fraud Lawsuit

by 


The hit producer -- and former collaborator of Dr. Dre -- allegedly had to give up royalties for "pennies on the dollar" after Knight intimidated him.


Scott Storch is still trying to get his life in order after burning through a $70 million fortune thanks to a cocaine addiction. The writer and producer of many hits including "Cry Me a River" by Justin Timberlake and "Naughty Girl" byBeyonce has been talking up a comeback after his last comeback attempt after bankruptcy resulted in a lawsuit from those who had bankrolled him. Now, comes a new lawsuit from Storch's bankruptcy trustee looking to recover a royalty share to many of his compositions after Suge Knight of Death Row Records infamy allegedly coerced Storch to sell his stake in hit songs at a fraction of what they were worth.

MONA SCOTT-YOUNG: XSCAPE BIO-EPIC
What makes the fraud lawsuit filed in Florida bankruptcy court all the more intriguing is that one of Storch's great hits was Dr. Dre's "Still D.R.E." Obviously, Dre and Knight have history.
According to the complaint, Storch's life was in turmoil in 2010 thanks to his high-flying lifestyle and drug addiction. He needed money. So he sold his publisher's share of a music catalog for $2.3 million to Reservoir Media Management.
Scott Brown, a Chapter 7 Trustee, claims this establishes a "fair value benchmark" to the value of Storch's rights.
After the sale, Storch still had a writer's share of works. Through his agent, according to the complaint, he had been introduced to Parviz Omidvar, principal at Music Royalty Consulting, Inc. (MRCI), the defendant in the adversary action.
"On information and belief, Omidvar explained to the Debtor that: (a) he could get cash quickly from MRCI without having to wait to receive royalty payments; and (b) that such cash payments would be loans against his future royalty payments," states the complaint.
Storch allegedly decided against this, but later entertained selling his writer's share.
"At that time, Suge Knight lived in the same gated community in Los Angeles as [Storch]," continues the complaint. "Knight knew about the Debtor’s: (a) struggles with drug addiction; and (b) inability to properly manage his finances, which made the Debtor a vulnerable and attractive target for extortion and manipulation. Upon information and belief, Knight repeatedly and systematically intimidated and threatened the Debtor to obtain money." Cont'd read more
This article appeared in Billboard Mag.
This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter 6/2/2017

Friday, June 2, 2017

Kathy Griffin Says She's Gotten Death Threats, Contacted by Secret Service Over Trump

The comedienne says she's been bullied by the Trump family following her shocking bloody photo stunt. 

by Ashley Cullins


Kathy Griffin's bloody photo of President Donald Trump was an ill-received parody and, despite standing by her apology, she's enlisted civil rights attorney Lisa Bloom to fight backlash amid an investigation by the Secret Service.
In a Friday morning press conference, Griffin says Trump's family is out to ruin her and his supporters are issuing threats. “The death threats that I’m getting are constant and they are detailed," she said. "Today it’s me. Tomorrow it could be you.”
Bloom explained her client's inspiration for the stunt. During the campaign, Trumpinfamously said Megyn Kelly “had blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever.” Griffin wondered what would it look like if his own insults were turned on him, so she donned a “pussy bow” blouse and snapped parody images taking it to an absurd extreme.
Before the press conference Bloom tweeted that she's been receiving hate mail for representing Griffin. She replied with this quote: "The devil whispered in my ear, 'You're not strong enough to withstand the storm.' Today I whispered in the devils ear, 'I am the storm.'"
With this case, the devil is in the details — and Griffin is fielding backlash on several fronts. A Republican Super PAC is using the photo as an example of "liberal extremists" in an ad, several of Griffin's upcoming performances have been canceled, and she won't be appearing with Anderson Cooper on CNN's New Year's Eve special this year.
Griffin on Tuesday issued a video apology responding to the backlash from the image. "I went way too far," she says. "The image is too disturbing. I understand how it offends people, it wasn't funny, I get it."
On Friday, though, Griffin made it clear that she's not going to lay off the president, adding that, "It's scary to be a citizen, but it's a great time to be a comedian."
“I’m not afraid of Donald Trump," she said. "He’s a bully. I’ve dealt with older white guys trying to keep me down my whole life, my whole career.” Read more
The original article appeared in THR

Regina King & Dana Dane Bringing ‘Cinderella’ To The Hood In Upcoming Hip Hopera

 by Jessica Mckinney


Regina King has a lot of cinematic projects in the works, but her latest script might be her most unique one yet. The actress is reportedly teaming up with legendary rapper Dana Dane to create a new hip hopera movie adaptation of Dane’s 1987 classic, “Cinderfella.”


For those who aren’t familiar with the 30-year-old hit, “Cinderfella” told the story of a dude from the projects in Brooklyn. Similar to the Disney original, Cinderfella had two step-brothers who treated him badly and a fairy godfather named Hurb, who swooped in to save the day just in time for the big house party. But instead of glass slippers, Hurb treated Cinderfella to a pair of fresh sneakers.
There is very little detail on the production and filming process at this time, but the script is reportedly complete and both King and Dane are on the hunt for castmembers, TMZ  reports. 
Ice Cube is also suspected of hopping on board with the project, according to the publicationTo read full article: Click Here Now!
The original article first appeared in VIBE

THE POWER OF A MUSIC MARKETING STRATEGY FOR A BRAND

A concert promotion is a great way to showcase your product or service. 

By selecting music talent that appeals to your desired demographic reach, you can establish a live and direct connection between the concert goers and your brand. If it becomes an annual event, it can be used to reinforce and/or expand your brand every year. According to one of the industry’s leading websites, hypebot, brands are developing music marketing strategies to enter this high interactive entertainment medium. Integrating the brand image with music is the perfect solution to reach and market more canny and hard to reach consumers.

EVERFEST: RAISES 3.6 Million


The marketing opportunities are endless when one has direct access to the attendees. That’s why more and more brands are developing their own unique music strategy. And here’s the reasons why:
1. The music tells a story. It’s also content that is really hard for a brand to match.
2. Brands need a personality. Aligning with the right music helps define that distinctive character.


3. Artists have social media channels to reach and communicate with fans. In may ways native advertising is the holy grail of digital marketing.
Photo Credit: Norm Sadler
Music brings people together and the experiences forge lasting bonds. “The research clearly shows people will welcome brands in their music experiences,” says Mr. Norman Sadler, CEO of N.E. Movement Entertainment "It’s worth noting that there are also unique opportunities for brands to underwrite other highly engaging consumer experiences like art shows, group travel, sporting events, and more."

COACHELLA: FESTIVAL dates 2018
If you’re looking for qualified guidance or a serious partner in a project, talk with Mr. Sadler @swirl305 about how he can assist you in generating sponsorship income for a music concert, or whatever creative endeavor you are contemplating. If you are looking for a high energy professional with 20 plus years of experience in Radio Broadcast sales, celebrity and VIP liaison T.V., Film, commercial production, music artist promotion, leading street teams, developing concerts and radio interviews; Mr Sadler's your go to guy!

Thursday, June 1, 2017

CNN fires Kathy Griffin

CNN has fired Kathy Griffin from their annual New Year’s Eve program, which she cohosted with anchor Anderson Cooper.
The network made the announcement via Twitter Wednesday morning.
CNN has terminated our agreement with Kathy Griffin to appear on our New Year’s Eve program,” the CNN Public Relations account tweeted.

DRAKE: Beats Sampling Lawsuit!
A spokesman for Griffin said she would have no comment beyond the apology video she posted on Tuesday.
The termination comes one day after the comedienne posted a photo and video of her holding a fake severed head of President Donald Trump. She later apologized for the photo and video, saying it went too far, and removed it from her Twitter account. She had made it as part of a photo shoot with Tyler Shields, but they did not disclose what the project was.
Trump tweeted about the photo early on Wednesday, writing that Griffin “should be ashamed of herself.”

Coachella Festival Date
CNN issued a statement on Tuesday night, condemning Griffin’s video and saying that they were evaluating New Year’s Eve plans. 
Before she issued her apology, Griffin said that she was in no way condoning violence, but that it was “merely mocking the MOCKER IN CHIEF.”

EVERFEST: Everfest raises 3.6 Million
Republicans are seizing on Griffin’s stunt, hammering not just Griffin but those associated with her. Among them is Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.). Like other political and celebrity figures, he condemned Griffin’s video, and told CNN, “I think she did the right thing, and asking for forgiveness and acknowledging … this was a horrible mistake.” This article Cont'd  
to read more go to Kathy Griffin
The original article appears in Variety

Everfest Raises $3.6 Million from Live Nation, ATX Seed Ventures

Everfest, a “festival experience” platform based in Austin, Texas, has closed a $3.6 million series A round co-led by Live Nation Entertainment and ATX Seed Ventures, bringing total investment in the company to more than $6 million. Other investors in the round include Red Frog Events (Firefly Music Festival), Chip Conley (Airbnb, Joie de Vivre Hotels, Burning Man) and Bob Kagle (Benchmark Capital).

KATHY GRIFFIN : CNN fires Griffin!
The premise of the platform is to be a place where a fan can discover and receive recommendations for festivals that suit their tastes, factoring in location, musical genre, etc. Its Premium subscribers receive exclusive experiences and discounts at the company’s 100-plus partner festivals, although the platform also lists more than 15,000 festivals worldwide on its website. The company says the new capital will go toward hires across the organization to scale the Premium program.

Coachella Festival Date
Live Nation is the world’s largest live-entertainment company; ATX is an early-stage venture capital firm specializing in Texas.
As part of the deal, C3 Presents (Lollapalooza, ACL) co-founder Charlie Walker will join Everfest’s board or directors, as will Chris Shonk of ATX.
“We’re thrilled to have Live Nation and ATX on board,” says Everfest co-founder and CEO Jay Manickam. “These are the perfect partners for our space, and we truly have an opportunity to leave a lasting mark on the global festival industry.”

TIGER WOODS: Tiger Woods Arrest!
“We love what Everfest is doing to give festivals a true online home,” says Shonk. “We see enormous potential to build efficiencies in connecting the entire festival network, such that the whole industry is driven forward.” Cont'd
Read more: Variety

Drake Beats Lawsuit Over Sampling With Winning 'Fair Use' Argument

 by 


Drake, along with various associated record labels and music publishers, pulled off an impressive achievement on Tuesday by convincing a judge that his song "Pound Cake/Paris Morton Music 2," off the 2013 albumNothing Was the Same, fairly sampled a 1982 spoken-word recording, "Jimmy Smith Rap," and that there is no liability for copyright infringement.

Tiger Woods Arrest!

What makes Drake's summary judgment victory against the Estate of James Oscar Smith particularly noteworthy is that rulings of copyright "fair use" are rare in the realm of songcraft. When it comes to documentaries and less abstract art forms, judges can parse meaning and figure out whether use of copyrighted material is transformative. But in disputes over song sampling, parties have long tended to wage fights over other issues like ownership records and whether the copying is sufficiently substantial. This "Pound Cake" case had those elements as well, but this one is now ending at the trial court because U.S. District Court judge William H. Pauley III has taken the unusual step of addressing Drake's purpose in sampling.

Coachella Festival Date

According to the facts laid out in Pauley's opinion, Cash Money hired a music license company to obtain all necessary licenses. The defendants obtained a license for the recording of "Jimmy Smith Rap," but clearing the composition became problematic. The Estate maintained it would not have granted a license for the composition because Jimmy Smith, a jazz musician, "wasn't a fan of hip hop."


Indeed, Smith's 1982 recording, which spoke of A&R men and going into the studio, is evidence of such bias.

"Jazz is the only real music that's gonna last," states the lyrics. "All that other bullshit is here today and gone tomorrow. But jazz was, is and always will be."  cont'd
Read the complete article go to www.billboard.com
This article appeared first in Billboard

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Coachella Announces 2018 Festival Dates

by Taylor Weatherby

Beyoncé officially has her first tour dates for 2018 set: Coachella just announced its festival dates for next year. The two-weekend music and arts festival will take place from Friday, April 13, through Sunday, April 15, and Friday April 20 through Sunday, April 22, respectively. 
The "Formation" singer was originally a 2017 Coachella headliner, but after announcing that she's pregnant with twins in February, she had to cancel her appearance (despite delivering a show-stopping performance at the Grammys). To make up for her unexpected cancellation, Beyoncé signed on as a headliner for 2018.
Advance tickets for Coachella 2018 will be available starting June 2 at 11 a.m. PT. For more information on tickets, click here.
this article appeared in Billboard

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Tiger Woods Says Alcohol Wasn’t Involved In DUI Arrest

by  Shenequa Golding 


Credit Getty Images
In the wee hours of Memorial Day (May 29) golf legend Tiger Woods was arrested in Jupiter, Fl for driving under the influence. The 41-year-old was taken to a local jail where he was booked and then released a few hours later on his own recognizance with no bail.

Arrest Report


“I want the public to know that alcohol was not involved. What happened was an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications,” Woods said. “I didn’t realize the mix of medications had affected me so strongly.”
Woods in the past year underwent several back surgeries and while on his comeback had to forfeit  the Dubai Desert Classic. It was assumed Woods’ turned up a bit too much over the holiday weekend, and the proof many had was his mugshot, which prompted Twitter to have all the jokes.
Excerpted from VIBE article 

Kevin Hart Wants to Be the Oprah of Comedy

by  @BrentALang


Hart is a man of discipline. If you track his movements on social media — and with 32.7 million Twitter followers and 51.5 million Instagram fans, many do — you know he’s a physical fitness junkie. He rises every morning at 5:30 to hit the gym, and last August he ran 35 miles in a relay that took him from Mount Hood to the Oregon coast. He routinely shares pictures of himself in mid-crunch or hoisting barbells in the air.
“You can’t expect to give 100% if you’re not in a physical place to give 100%,” says Hart, 37.
Photo Credit PAMELA LITTKY FOR VARIETY
Right now, the actor and comedian is arguably the hardest-working person in show business. He’s appeared in nearly a dozen movies since 2013, many of them in leading roles and most of them box office hits. That’s to say nothing of the grueling stand-up tours that put him on the road for weeks at a time. The animated film “Captain Underpants,” featuring Hart’s voice, debuts in theaters June 2, and in December he headlines “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” alongside Dwayne Johnson and Jack Black. He recently wrapped “Untouchable,” a dramatic comedy with Bryan Cranston that will open in 2018.

OPRAH: OWN Passes on "Underground"
Working with Hart on the “Jumanji” sequel motivated Black to step up his own acting. “I raised my game a couple of notches out of the intimidation factor,” says Black. “He’s a king of the industry. I’ve done a lot of movies, but when someone is on fire, at the peak of their powers, you feel like you have to earn your spot.”

KATHY GRIFFIN TERMINATED!
As if he didn’t have enough going on, Hart is also about to become a published author. “I Can’t Make This Up: Life Lessons,” his first book, hits stores June 6. In his stand-up act, Hart’s comedy draws from personal experiences, delving into the cheating that torpedoed his first marriage or his hardscrabble youth growing up in North Philadelphia. Onstage, stories about his alcoholic and drug-addicted father are played for laughs.
In print, Hart gets real.
“People get to see the comedic persona, but there’s more to me,” Hart says. “This is a story that can be told, and I chose to tell it. It’s funny, but there are serious components to it.”
Kevin Darnell Hart was born on July 6, 1979 to Nancy Hart, a single mother, and brought up in one of the toughest sections of the City of Brotherly Love. His father, Henry Witherspoon, missed much of Hart’s childhood. He was in and out of jail, and an addict. The drugs, and escalating parental screw-ups, such as the time Witherspoon dropped Hart off at the wrong school, caused his mom to limit his visits.
“We come from a f—ed-up situation,” says Robert Hart, Kevin’s older brother. “We come from the worst living conditions.”
When Hart performs stand-up, he treats his father as a jester, arriving coked up to cheer his son at spelling bees or giving his kids another family’s dog when they wanted a puppy. But there was a darker side to Witherspoon. In the book, Hart recounts how his father broke into his mother’s house to steal money. Another time, he robbed Robert Hart’s barbershop and crashed his car.
“He didn’t escape any of it — jail, drugs, addictions, ruining your family to a point where my mom didn’t want me and my brother to be around him,” Hart says. “Seeing the stuff firsthand. Seeing the reality behind drugs and addiction, and what it can really do to a person, that’s why I don’t do drugs. I learned what I shouldn’t be doing from what my dad did.”

SPOTIFY SETTLES
Hart says his father is now sober and the two have reconciled. At some point, Hart decided it was important for his two young children, Heaven and Hendrix, to know their grandfather.
“It takes too much time and energy to keep hate alive,” Hart says. In return, Witherspoon makes an effort with the children.
“He’s as good as he can be,” Hart says. “He’s very much in their lives. He talks to them. He sends them messages. He Facetimes. He’s serious about making his presence felt.” Read More
This story first appeared in the May 30, 2017 issue of Variety.
contributing author 

Mary J. Blige Recruits A$AP Rocky for 'Love Yourself'

Mary J. Blige recruits a different rap star for her "Love Yourself" video. The newly released version of the track -- which appears on her 13th studio album, Strength of a Woman -- includes an assist from A$AP Rocky in the visual. 

According to Complex, the clip was shot by directors Taj and Dre in both Los Angeles and New York City. The self-love anthem shows the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul stunting in regal ensembles like a fire-engine-red fur number, and a stunning blue gown with a floor-length coat to match. 

The Harlem rapper, a fashion killa in his own right, also flaunts his runway-ready style by rocking a dapper, tie-less suit and a red track suit sans shirt throughout the visual. In one scene, Rocky and his twin even trade bars in the same room. Saxophone and trombone players plus a group of men dressed in all black with berets also appear. 
Earlier this month, Strength of a Woman topped the R&B Albums chart and also served as Blige's 20th career entry on the list. Mary is also set to embark on the album's namesake tour with special guest Lalah Hathaway this summer.