Ms. Jackson Leads 2016 NAACP Image Awards Music Nominations

The list of nominees was announced for the 47th annual NAACP Image Awards at a press conference Tuesday (Dec. 8) in Beverly Hills, Calif. Janet Jackson leads this year's musical pack with six nominations. Close behind the legendary singer is the Empire cast (four), The Weeknd (four) andPharrell Williams (three).

Previous host Anthony Anderson will resume his duties at this year's event, which airs live on Feb. 5. 

Beyonce Among Early NAACP Image Award Winners

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration

“Conqueror,” Empire Cast feat. Estelle & Jussie Smollett (Columbia Records)
“Hamilton: An American Musical,” Original Broadway Cast (Atlantic Records)
“No Sleeep,” Janet Jackson feat. J. Cole (Rhythm Nation/BMG)
“One Man Can Change The World,” Big Sean feat. Kanye West and John Legend (G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam Recordings)
“Sound & Color,” Alabama Shakes (ATO Records)

Outstanding Jazz Album
“BrotherLEE Love: Celebrating Lee Morgan,”  Terell Stafford Quintet (Capri Records)
“Dee Dee’s Feathers,” Dee Dee Bridgewater, Irvin Mayfield, New Orleans Jazz Orchestra (Okeh)
“Miles Davis at Newport 1955-1975: The Bootleg Series Vol. 4,”  Miles Davis (Columbia/Legacy Recordings)
“The Complete Concert By The Sea,” Erroll Garner (Legacy Recordings/Octave Music Publishing Corporation)
The Epic,” Kamasi Washington (Brainfeeder)

Outstanding Gospel Album – (Traditional or Contemporary)
“A Different Place,” Kim Burrell (Shanachie Entertainment)
“It’s Personal,” Tina Campbell (Gee Tree Creative)
“Losing My Religion,” Kirk Franklin (RCA Inspiration)
“The Gospel According To Jazz – Chapter IV,” Kirk Whalum (Mack Avenue Records, Rendezvous, Top Drawer Records)
“You Shall Live,” Marvin Sapp (RCA Inspiration)

Outstanding Music Video
“Can’t Feel My Face,” The Weeknd (Republic Records)
“Freedom,” Pharrell Williams (Columbia Records/iamOTHER)
“No Sleeep,” Janet Jackson feat. J. Cole (Rhythm Nation/BMG)
“Shame,” Tyrese Gibson (Voltron Recordz)
“Sound & Color,” Alabama Shakes (ATO Records)

Outstanding New Artist
Andra Day (Warner Bros. Records)
Judith Hill (NPG Records)
Jussie Smollett (Columbia Records)
The Weeknd (Republic Records)
Yazz (Columbia Records)

Outstanding Male Artist
Charlie Wilson (RCA Records)
Kendrick Lamar (Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope)
Pharrell Williams (Columbia Records/iamOTHER)
The Weeknd (Republic Records)
Tyrese Gibson (Voltron Recordz)

Outstanding Female Artist
Janet Jackson (Rhythm Nation/BMG)
Jazmine Sullivan (RCA Records)
Jill Scott (Atlantic Records)
Lalah Hathaway (Hathaway Entertainment/Entertainment One)
Lauryn Hill (RCA Records)

Outstanding Song – Traditional
 “Back Together,” Jill Scott (Atlantic Records)
“Everytime I’m With You,” Seal (Reprise Records)
“Feeling Good,” Lauryn Hill (RCA Records)
“Goodnight Kisses,” Charlie Wilson (RCA Records)
“Let It Burn,” Jazmine Sullivan (RCA Records)

Outstanding Album
“Beauty Behind the Madness,” The Weeknd (Republic Records)
“Empire (Original Soundtrack from Season One),” Empire Cast (Columbia Records)
“Forever Charlie,” Charlie Wilson (RCA Records)
“Unbreakable,” Janet Jackson (Rhythm Nation/BMG)
“Woman,” Jill Scott (Atlantic Records)

Outstanding Song – Contemporary
“Conqueror, “Empire Cast feat. Estelle & Jussie Smollett (Columbia)
“Freedom” – Pharrell Williams (Columbia Records/iamOTHER)
“No Sleeep,” Janet Jackson feat. J. Cole (Rhythm Nation/BMG)
“Unbreakable,” Janet Jackson (Rhythm Nation/BMG)
“You’re So Beautiful,” Empire Cast feat. Jussie Smollett & Yazz (Columbia Records)

Sean Penn Seeks to Sanction Lee Daniels Over Tactics in Defamation Fight

The legal dispute between Sean Penn and Empire co-creator Lee Daniels is turning on tactics quickly.

In September, Penn filed a $10 million lawsuit over a comment that Daniels had made to The Hollywood Reporter. In an interview, Daniels defended Empire star Terrence Howard over media reports of domestic trouble. "[Terrence] ain't done nothing different than Marlon Brando or Sean Penn, and all of a sudden he's some f—in' demon," Danielstold THR. "That's a sign of the time, of race, of where we are right now in America."

In his lawsuit, Penn alleges that "Daniels falsely equates Penn with Howard, even though, while he has certainly had several brushes with the law, Penn (unlike Howard) has never been arrested, much less convicted, for domestic violence, as his ex-wives (including Madonna) would confirm and attest."

Daniels plans to raise some sort of First Amendment defense for his comments, and apparently he sees procedural advantage in fighting the lawsuit in federal court rather than a New York state court. So Daniels' attorneys submitted a notice of removal of the case, citing diversity jurisdiction — Penn lives in California, Daniels in New York.

Removals to federal court are fairly routine and usually don't spark fireworks, but not this time.

In a letter from Penn's team to a federal judge today, filed in court, the move is called "improper and legally defective" because under the forum defendant rule, a civil action can't be removed to federal court if the defendant is a citizen of the state where the action is brought. In other words, because Daniels is a New Yorker, he has to face the lawsuit in New York Supreme Court.

Penn's lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, says in his letter that the case must be remanded to state court and that Penn is entitled to his costs and attorneys' fees.

Daniels is being represented by James Sammataro at Stroock, who wasn't immediately available for comment.

Billboard Touring Conference & Awards

November 18-19, 2015

Roosevelt Hotel, NYC

The Billboard Touring Conference & Awards is the premiere event dedicated to the live music industry. Now in its 12th year, the Billboard Touring Conference features industry-leading programming that informs, educates and provides a forum for promoters, producers, agents, managers, venues, sponsors, marketers, production professionals, merchandisers, digital music executives, ticketing companies, and all touring-related businesses about the industry's latest opportunities and current challenges.

Jay Z Wins Copyright Trial Over Egyptian 'Big Pimpin' Sample

Jay Z’s got 99 problems, but an unfavorable verdict in the trial over his hit “Big Pimpin’” ain’t one.

In court Wednesday, judge Christina Snyder found the nephew of Egyptian composer Baligh Hamdi did not have standing to pursue the claim Jay Z and producer Tim “Timbaland” Mosley illicitly sampled his uncle’s song “Khosara Khosara” in the iconic hook of “Big Pimpin’.”

The verdict ended a week-long trial in which the plaintiff, Osama Fahmy, argued the Egyptian concept of “moral rights” applied to Jay Z’s license for “Khosara Khosara” and required the rapper, Timbaland and their record label to get Hamdi’s family’s permission to sample “Khosara Khosara.”

Jay Z and Timbaland responded Fahmy could not invoke Egyptian moral rights over the American license for the song, and when Fahmy signed all rights to “Khosara Khosara” to the Middle Eastern record label Sout El Phan over a decade ago, he lost the standing to pursue the lawsuit.

Snyder told the court yesterday she would decide whether Egyptian law applied and whether Timbaland’s license from EMI was valid. If she decided it did, the question of whether Jay Z and Timbaland infringed would go to the jury.

“Fahmy lacked standing to pursue his claim,” said Snyder in court Wednesday. “In light of that decision, it will not be necessary to submit to the jury whether ‘Big Pimpin’’ infringed ‘Khosara Khosara.”

C-MURDER SPARKS INVESTIGATION

“I had to hear the testimony of Egyptian law experts in order to reach that decision, she added. She dismissed the jury at about 10:30 a.m.

“We and our clients obviously are very pleased with this decision. The court correctly ruled that the plaintiff had no right to bring this case and cannot pursue any claim of infringement in connection with Big Pimpin’ whatsoever,” said the defendants’ attorney Christine Lepera in a statement.

“After a lengthy litigation, Defendants have been vindicated in their position that they have every right to exploit "Big Pimpin'" wherever they choose, including in records, films and concerts,” added her co-counsel David Steinberg, who represented defendants including Universal Music and Warner Music.

Adele's Comeback Song 'Hello' Has Arrived

The multi-Grammy winning singer will release her third studio album '25' on Nov. 20.

Adele is back with her first single in three years. "Hello," a soaring new ballad that offers the first taste of the British singer's highly anticipated third album, 25, debuted in the early hours of Oct. 23.

The chorus features Adele's signature soaring vocals as she sings, "Hello from the other side / I must have called a thousand times / To tell you I'm sorry for everything that I've done." Accompanied by a piano and drums for most of the track, which was produced by Greg Kurstin (Sia, Beyonce) and recorded in Los Angeles, orchestral bells and big, ambient synths fill out the sound during the song's last act.

The title is apt for a comeback song with such excitement behind it. Adele has been in something of a career hibernation since the birth of her first child in 2012. "Hello" is the Grammy winner's first release since her 2012 recording "Skyfall" from the James Bond film of the same name reached No. 8 in the U.S. and No. 2 in the U.K. Though "Skyfall" was a one-off, a bridge between a four-year wait between albums.

That wait will officially come to an end Nov. 20 when Adele's album 25 arrives. Adele announced the big news on Wednesday, Oct. 21, just days after publishing a Twitter letter in which she told her fans, "I'm sorry it took so long, but you know, life happened.” The singer has described 25 as a "make-up record," more adult in theme and tone.

Is Sony Really Trying to Sell Its Publishing Giant?

It appears that Sony Corp. has triggered a clause in its co-ownership agreement of publishing giant Sony/ATV, which it shares with the Michael Jackson estate, that allows for either party to initiate a buyout of the other, signaling that the beleaguered multinational is looking to either sell its half of the Sony/ATV joint-venture ownership to the Michael Jackson estate or buy Jackson out. The reasons for the trigger remain mysterious, though a problematic relationship between the partners is an oft-cited rumor. Whatever the outcome, the finish line on any deal remains far in the distance. The news was first reported by the Wall Street Journal's Hannah Karp.

Sony Corp. (SON.L, SNE) is moving closer to selling off its half of Sony/ATV Music Publishing, after recently triggering a clause in its contract with its co-owner, the Michael Jackson estate, that allows one party to buy out the other, the Wall Street Journal reported citing people familiar with the matter.

Sony/ATV is co-owned by Sony and the estate of the late pop star. Sony and Jackson have jointly owned the company since 1995, each with a 50% stake.

Music industry veterans reportedly estimateSony/ATV's value at around $2 billion. Sony hasn't put a price tag on its share yet.

Lenders were notified when Sony triggered the exit clause last month. There is no guarantee the process will result in Sony selling its half.

Sony/ATV's structure grants both partners the right to counter any offer to buy out the other side, as well as to bid for the half each doesn't own.

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