DMX was arrested at a store in Florida yesterday (Aug. 14) for failing to appear in an Arizona court on drug charges, authorities said.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said the rapper, whose real name is Earl Simmons, was taken into custody outside a Wal-Mart store in north Miami Beach on a warrant issued by a Maricopa County Superior Court commissioner.
The 37-year-old, who has a home outside Phoenix, failed to appear on Tuesday for a pretrial conference on charges relating to marijuana and drug paraphernalia possession, one of several legal battles he faces in Arizona.
He was arrested in May on drug and animal cruelty charges after sheriff's deputies raided his Cave Creek, Arizona, home. Authorities alleged that there were dog carcasses and malnourished pit bulls at the residence.
The rapper also faces two felony charges for taking the identity of another person and giving false information during a trip to the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz., in an alleged attempt to avoid paying the bill.
"This guy is treating our legal system like a revolving door and it's time we closed the cell door on him," Arpaio told Reuters.
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Saturday, August 16, 2008
Ruthless Records celebrates 20 years
Let's hitch a ride on the music time machine back to the year 1987. Whitney Houston, Madonna and Michael Jackson rule the No. 1 hit parade on the pop charts, along with rockers U2, Bon Jovi and Bob Seger. In control on the R&B front are Jackson again, baby sister
Janet, Luther Vandross and Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam.
Still in its formative years, rap is mostly an East Coast happening. Eight years have elapsed since the Sugarhill Gang rhymed its way to commercial success in 1979 with "Rapper's Delight." And it's three years since Afrika Bambaataa and Soul Sonic Force landed on "Planet Rock."
Now rapper LL Cool J has nabbed his first No. 1 single—"I Need You"—just a year after Run-D.M.C. stepped up its legacy with top 10 singles "My Adidas" and "Walk This Way."
It's in this climate that co-founders Eric "Eazy-E" Wright and music industry veteran Jerry Heller decide to launch rap label Ruthless Records. Little did anyone know that the upstart indie would put West Coast and gangsta rap on the map, let alone house a stable of gold- and platinum-selling acts, among them pioneering rap group N.W.A. (Niggaz With Attitude).
But Trans World Entertainment director of urban music Violet Brown says, "Eric knew, the DJs knew, and I knew too." Brown's friendship with Eazy-E dates back to the late '80s when she was a DJ shopping for 12-inch singles at the Roadium swap meet in nearby Gardena, Calif. It was here that she met Eazy-E, who was hosting mixtape cassettes being sold by DJ Steve Yano.
"Eric would kind of host these tapes, throwing in lyrics between songs," Brown recalls of the Compton, Calif., native and one-time drug dealer. "I think that's how people first got to know him. I saw him become more and more popular through these tapes."
Ruthless began with $7,000 of Eazy-E's own money and 5,000 12-inch copies of his single "Boyz N the Hood." It was written by C.I.A. rapper Ice Cube who, along with World Class Wreckin' Cru DJs Dr. Dre and Yella, had switched allegiance from Kru-Cut Records to Ruthless. Distinguished by Eazy-E's high-pitched voice, "Boyz" sold more than 500,000 copies throughout South Central L.A., according to label figures. Between that record and "Supersonic," a 1988 R&B/pop gold single by female rap group J.J. Fad (Just Jammin' Fresh and Def), Ruthless Records was on its way.
But things really began to click in 1988 with the release of N.W.A.'s "Straight Outta Compton." The seminal five-man crew—Eazy-E, Dr. Dre (who produced J.J. Fad), Ice Cube, MC Ren and DJ Yella—came together in 1987, managed by Eazy-E's label partner Heller. The group first attracted aural attention on the Ruthless compilation "N.W.A. and the Posse." Issued by Macola Records in 1987, the album featured future Ruthless solo star the D.O.C.
"At this time," Brown says, "people were putting out their own records but selling them out of their car trunks instead of going after major distribution. But Eric and Jerry got distribution through Priority and took things to a bigger level."
Established in 1985 by former K-tel executives Bryan Turner, Mark Cerami and Steve Drath, Priority Records' most recent claim to fame had been the California Raisins' platinum-selling cover of "Heard It Through the Grapevine." On the surface, the Raisins and N.W.A. might not seem like ideal labelmates. But youth and naiveté paid off.
"I think back and realize that we were incredibly naïve and young," Turner recalls of hearing the incendiary single "Fuck Tha Police" and deciding to distribute N.W.A.'s "Straight Outta Compton." The record, considered by many as pioneering the subgenre of gangsta rap, unflinchingly depicted inner-city youth's anger at police brutality, racial profiling and other social ills.
"I'd known Jerry for years," Turner continues. "We worked in the same building. Mark [Cerami] and I knew ‘Fuck' would scare some people. We were young and had nothing to lose. But never in a million years did we think we'd get a letter from the FBI castigating us for putting out that kind of music. It's not like we were starting a revolution and distributing arms. It was words. Then [the] Rodney King [incident] happens. It was kind of scary how prophetic the song turned out to be."
Amid damning critiques, lack of radio airplay and parental advisory stickers, the album went on to sell double-platinum, followed by Eazy-E's own multiplatinum solo debut, "Eazy-Duz-It." During the next five years, Ruthless produced a series of gold- and platinum-selling albums encompassing R&B, pop and rap by such acts as Michel'le, the D.O.C., Above the Law and MC Ren.
The one thing most people didn't know about Eazy-E, Turner says, was his business savvy. "I think overall he was incredibly underrated when it came to the business side of the industry. He was the brains behind the marketing approach: All the artwork, T-shirts, logos . . . all that was him. He would be in my office every day talking about marketing."
After Ice Cube left the group in 1989 over royalty disputes, Ruthless released another N.W.A. album, 1991's "Efil4zaggin" ("Niggaz4life" spelled backward). Beyond it being the group's final project, it also ushered in the Nielsen SoundScan era, copping No. 1 its first week out and further cementing the Ruthless legacy.
"I don't think anyone truly paid attention until SoundScan hit," Brown says. "When the SoundScan chart arrived with real numbers and N.W.A. was No. 1, a gangsta rap group from Compton? That was the wake-up call. That's when people said, ‘Oh, my God. Rap is selling a lot of units.' "
Ending its distribution pact with Priority in 1992, Ruthless was later distributed by Relativity Records, which, in turn, was folded into parent company Sony Music and launched as RED. With Dr. Dre, the D.O.C. and Michel'le exiting Ruthless for Death Row, Ruthless bounced back in 1994 with innovative Cleveland rap group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony beginning with the group's No. 2 R&B-charting debut album, "Creepin On Ah Come Up."
"Everyone was counting him out," group member Bizzy Bone recalls. "Then he found us, a new group with a new flavor: four brothers in braids and sagging jeans harmonizing." Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, whose members have had a stormy personal and legal history, announced a reunion of the original members in June. Their upcoming untitled project will likely be released on Interscope, which signed the group in 2006.
"[Wright] was always looking for other artists," Brown says. "He told me he wanted Ruthless to be a Motown; to be around for a long time. And not just stay with hip-hop. He was definitely starting to listen to different types of music."
National air personality Felicia "Poetess" Morris (of Jamie Foxx's "The Foxx Hole") agrees. "He was a visionary, looking at signing rock groups and Latin artists," says Morris, who met Eazy-E in the early '90s when she was an artist on Interscope. "He always wanted to do it his way; he never sold out. Eazy-E planted the seed for what you see today with a lot of these indie empires."
Eazy-E's untimely death from AIDS in 1995, however, precluded him from pursuing his vision or seeing Billboard name Ruthless the No. 1 independent label in 1996 and 1997. Or watching a Ruthless act pick up its first Grammy Award when Bone Thugs-N-Harmony was awarded best rap performance by a duo or group in 1996 for No. 1 R&B/pop single "Tha Crossroads" from second Ruthless album "E. 1999 Eternal."
"Ruthless made an incredible impact on the business," Brown says. "Eric put gangsta rap and West Coast rap on the map. And look at the offshoots: Dr. Dre becoming one of the industry's biggest producers; Ice Cube making movies. A lot came from little Eazy-E and Ruthless."
"Ruthless was the first label to show that a rapper or rap group could control a lot of their own destiny in terms of making and releasing a record," Turner adds. "And that's a lasting legacy today."
Thirteen years after Eazy-E's death, Tomica Woods-Wright is keeping the promise she made to her husband. "Even in his last days," she recalls, "he was telling me, ‘I know it may be a burden. But whatever you do, keep it going for as long as you can.' "
Earlier this year, Woods-Wright announced that in celebration of Ruthless' 20th anniversary, the label is gearing up five new acts slated for release between now and the end of the year. In keeping with Eazy-E's multigenre vision, the roster includes R&B singer/songwriter Na'Shay, bilingual pop singer/musician/actress Agina, rapper/songwriter/producer Hopsin, party/dance trio Street Runnaz Click and rapper Stevie Stone. Their albums will be released through a recently renegotiated pact with RED.
"It's been difficult at times since Eric's death, but it's been worth it," Woods-Wright says. "We have a strong, groundbreaking mix here that represents the next generation. Eric wasn't a quitter. He believed in riding a project until the wheels fell off and if they did, then he always said he'd carry it. This company was—and is—him."
Janet, Luther Vandross and Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam.
Still in its formative years, rap is mostly an East Coast happening. Eight years have elapsed since the Sugarhill Gang rhymed its way to commercial success in 1979 with "Rapper's Delight." And it's three years since Afrika Bambaataa and Soul Sonic Force landed on "Planet Rock."
Now rapper LL Cool J has nabbed his first No. 1 single—"I Need You"—just a year after Run-D.M.C. stepped up its legacy with top 10 singles "My Adidas" and "Walk This Way."
It's in this climate that co-founders Eric "Eazy-E" Wright and music industry veteran Jerry Heller decide to launch rap label Ruthless Records. Little did anyone know that the upstart indie would put West Coast and gangsta rap on the map, let alone house a stable of gold- and platinum-selling acts, among them pioneering rap group N.W.A. (Niggaz With Attitude).
But Trans World Entertainment director of urban music Violet Brown says, "Eric knew, the DJs knew, and I knew too." Brown's friendship with Eazy-E dates back to the late '80s when she was a DJ shopping for 12-inch singles at the Roadium swap meet in nearby Gardena, Calif. It was here that she met Eazy-E, who was hosting mixtape cassettes being sold by DJ Steve Yano.
"Eric would kind of host these tapes, throwing in lyrics between songs," Brown recalls of the Compton, Calif., native and one-time drug dealer. "I think that's how people first got to know him. I saw him become more and more popular through these tapes."
Ruthless began with $7,000 of Eazy-E's own money and 5,000 12-inch copies of his single "Boyz N the Hood." It was written by C.I.A. rapper Ice Cube who, along with World Class Wreckin' Cru DJs Dr. Dre and Yella, had switched allegiance from Kru-Cut Records to Ruthless. Distinguished by Eazy-E's high-pitched voice, "Boyz" sold more than 500,000 copies throughout South Central L.A., according to label figures. Between that record and "Supersonic," a 1988 R&B/pop gold single by female rap group J.J. Fad (Just Jammin' Fresh and Def), Ruthless Records was on its way.
But things really began to click in 1988 with the release of N.W.A.'s "Straight Outta Compton." The seminal five-man crew—Eazy-E, Dr. Dre (who produced J.J. Fad), Ice Cube, MC Ren and DJ Yella—came together in 1987, managed by Eazy-E's label partner Heller. The group first attracted aural attention on the Ruthless compilation "N.W.A. and the Posse." Issued by Macola Records in 1987, the album featured future Ruthless solo star the D.O.C.
"At this time," Brown says, "people were putting out their own records but selling them out of their car trunks instead of going after major distribution. But Eric and Jerry got distribution through Priority and took things to a bigger level."
Established in 1985 by former K-tel executives Bryan Turner, Mark Cerami and Steve Drath, Priority Records' most recent claim to fame had been the California Raisins' platinum-selling cover of "Heard It Through the Grapevine." On the surface, the Raisins and N.W.A. might not seem like ideal labelmates. But youth and naiveté paid off.
"I think back and realize that we were incredibly naïve and young," Turner recalls of hearing the incendiary single "Fuck Tha Police" and deciding to distribute N.W.A.'s "Straight Outta Compton." The record, considered by many as pioneering the subgenre of gangsta rap, unflinchingly depicted inner-city youth's anger at police brutality, racial profiling and other social ills.
"I'd known Jerry for years," Turner continues. "We worked in the same building. Mark [Cerami] and I knew ‘Fuck' would scare some people. We were young and had nothing to lose. But never in a million years did we think we'd get a letter from the FBI castigating us for putting out that kind of music. It's not like we were starting a revolution and distributing arms. It was words. Then [the] Rodney King [incident] happens. It was kind of scary how prophetic the song turned out to be."
Amid damning critiques, lack of radio airplay and parental advisory stickers, the album went on to sell double-platinum, followed by Eazy-E's own multiplatinum solo debut, "Eazy-Duz-It." During the next five years, Ruthless produced a series of gold- and platinum-selling albums encompassing R&B, pop and rap by such acts as Michel'le, the D.O.C., Above the Law and MC Ren.
The one thing most people didn't know about Eazy-E, Turner says, was his business savvy. "I think overall he was incredibly underrated when it came to the business side of the industry. He was the brains behind the marketing approach: All the artwork, T-shirts, logos . . . all that was him. He would be in my office every day talking about marketing."
After Ice Cube left the group in 1989 over royalty disputes, Ruthless released another N.W.A. album, 1991's "Efil4zaggin" ("Niggaz4life" spelled backward). Beyond it being the group's final project, it also ushered in the Nielsen SoundScan era, copping No. 1 its first week out and further cementing the Ruthless legacy.
"I don't think anyone truly paid attention until SoundScan hit," Brown says. "When the SoundScan chart arrived with real numbers and N.W.A. was No. 1, a gangsta rap group from Compton? That was the wake-up call. That's when people said, ‘Oh, my God. Rap is selling a lot of units.' "
Ending its distribution pact with Priority in 1992, Ruthless was later distributed by Relativity Records, which, in turn, was folded into parent company Sony Music and launched as RED. With Dr. Dre, the D.O.C. and Michel'le exiting Ruthless for Death Row, Ruthless bounced back in 1994 with innovative Cleveland rap group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony beginning with the group's No. 2 R&B-charting debut album, "Creepin On Ah Come Up."
"Everyone was counting him out," group member Bizzy Bone recalls. "Then he found us, a new group with a new flavor: four brothers in braids and sagging jeans harmonizing." Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, whose members have had a stormy personal and legal history, announced a reunion of the original members in June. Their upcoming untitled project will likely be released on Interscope, which signed the group in 2006.
"[Wright] was always looking for other artists," Brown says. "He told me he wanted Ruthless to be a Motown; to be around for a long time. And not just stay with hip-hop. He was definitely starting to listen to different types of music."
National air personality Felicia "Poetess" Morris (of Jamie Foxx's "The Foxx Hole") agrees. "He was a visionary, looking at signing rock groups and Latin artists," says Morris, who met Eazy-E in the early '90s when she was an artist on Interscope. "He always wanted to do it his way; he never sold out. Eazy-E planted the seed for what you see today with a lot of these indie empires."
Eazy-E's untimely death from AIDS in 1995, however, precluded him from pursuing his vision or seeing Billboard name Ruthless the No. 1 independent label in 1996 and 1997. Or watching a Ruthless act pick up its first Grammy Award when Bone Thugs-N-Harmony was awarded best rap performance by a duo or group in 1996 for No. 1 R&B/pop single "Tha Crossroads" from second Ruthless album "E. 1999 Eternal."
"Ruthless made an incredible impact on the business," Brown says. "Eric put gangsta rap and West Coast rap on the map. And look at the offshoots: Dr. Dre becoming one of the industry's biggest producers; Ice Cube making movies. A lot came from little Eazy-E and Ruthless."
"Ruthless was the first label to show that a rapper or rap group could control a lot of their own destiny in terms of making and releasing a record," Turner adds. "And that's a lasting legacy today."
Thirteen years after Eazy-E's death, Tomica Woods-Wright is keeping the promise she made to her husband. "Even in his last days," she recalls, "he was telling me, ‘I know it may be a burden. But whatever you do, keep it going for as long as you can.' "
Earlier this year, Woods-Wright announced that in celebration of Ruthless' 20th anniversary, the label is gearing up five new acts slated for release between now and the end of the year. In keeping with Eazy-E's multigenre vision, the roster includes R&B singer/songwriter Na'Shay, bilingual pop singer/musician/actress Agina, rapper/songwriter/producer Hopsin, party/dance trio Street Runnaz Click and rapper Stevie Stone. Their albums will be released through a recently renegotiated pact with RED.
"It's been difficult at times since Eric's death, but it's been worth it," Woods-Wright says. "We have a strong, groundbreaking mix here that represents the next generation. Eric wasn't a quitter. He believed in riding a project until the wheels fell off and if they did, then he always said he'd carry it. This company was—and is—him."
Jerry Wexler dies at 91
Music industry legend Jerry Wexler, who kick-started his career as a Billboard journalist in the late 1940s and went on to cultivate the careers of Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and Led Zeppelin while a partner at Atlantic Records, has died at the age of 91 at his home in Siesta Key, Fla.
Wexler was born on Jan. 10, 1917, into a Jewish family in the Bronx. After graduating from the school now known as Kansas State University and spending a stint in the Army, he was hired in 1947 at BMI, writing continuity copy for radio stations and plugging the organization's songs.
Later that year a friend recommended him to Billboard, where he was hired with a starting pay of $75 a week. At Billboard, Wexler invented the term "rhythm & blues" to replace the name "race records," which was then the name of the chart tracking such music.
He stayed at Billboard until 1951, when he went to work for Big Three, the music publishing arm of MGM Records. The following year, Atlantic Records tried to recruit him, but Wexler said he would only join if he was made a partner, and nothing happened. A year later, when co-founder Herb Abramson joined the Army, Atlantic came back with another offer and this time agreed to take him in as a partner.
Atlantic had already established itself as an up-and-coming R&B label thanks to hits from artists like Ruth Brown, Joe Turner, Stick McGhee and the Clovers, with the just-signed Ray Charles waiting in the wings. If Atlantic founders Abramson and Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegun led the way into exploring rhythm and blues, it would be Wexler who ultimately led the label deep into Southern soul.
In 1965, he signed a distribution deal for Memphis-based Satellite Records, which was putting out songs by Carla Thomas. That label would later become known as Stax. Before long, Stax began a golden era of hits from Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Otis Redding, Eddie Floyd and William Bell, among others.
Before long, Wexler had begun using FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Ala., as a home base for sessions. "More than any other locale or individual, Muscle Shoals changed my life -- musically and every which way," Wexler wrote in his 1994 autobiography, "Rhythm & the Blues: A Life in American Music."
The first artist he brought to Muscle Shoals was Aretha Franklin, whose 1967 debut, "I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You," redefined soul music.
As the '60s wore on, Wexler grew more involved with producing and much less with running Atlantic, although he was still closely involved in signing Led Zeppelin, the J. Geils Band and Donnie Hathaway. He left Atlantic for good in 1975, but resurfaced two years later returned as VP of A&R for Warner Bros. Records.
In his autobiography, Wexler says that with the help of Karen Berg, they signed the B-52's, Dire Straits and Gang Of Four. During the latter half of the 1970s, Wexler produced Etta James' "Deep in the Night," Bob Dylan's Christian album, "Slow Train Coming," Kim Carnes "Sailin'" and Dire Straits "Communique," among others.
Later in life, Wexler was involved with "The Wiz" soundtrack, the Dylan album "Saved" and recordings by a young George Michael, Bill Vera, Lou Ann Barton and Kenny Drew Jr.
Funeral details have yet to be announced.
Wexler was born on Jan. 10, 1917, into a Jewish family in the Bronx. After graduating from the school now known as Kansas State University and spending a stint in the Army, he was hired in 1947 at BMI, writing continuity copy for radio stations and plugging the organization's songs.
Later that year a friend recommended him to Billboard, where he was hired with a starting pay of $75 a week. At Billboard, Wexler invented the term "rhythm & blues" to replace the name "race records," which was then the name of the chart tracking such music.
He stayed at Billboard until 1951, when he went to work for Big Three, the music publishing arm of MGM Records. The following year, Atlantic Records tried to recruit him, but Wexler said he would only join if he was made a partner, and nothing happened. A year later, when co-founder Herb Abramson joined the Army, Atlantic came back with another offer and this time agreed to take him in as a partner.
Atlantic had already established itself as an up-and-coming R&B label thanks to hits from artists like Ruth Brown, Joe Turner, Stick McGhee and the Clovers, with the just-signed Ray Charles waiting in the wings. If Atlantic founders Abramson and Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegun led the way into exploring rhythm and blues, it would be Wexler who ultimately led the label deep into Southern soul.
In 1965, he signed a distribution deal for Memphis-based Satellite Records, which was putting out songs by Carla Thomas. That label would later become known as Stax. Before long, Stax began a golden era of hits from Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Otis Redding, Eddie Floyd and William Bell, among others.
Before long, Wexler had begun using FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Ala., as a home base for sessions. "More than any other locale or individual, Muscle Shoals changed my life -- musically and every which way," Wexler wrote in his 1994 autobiography, "Rhythm & the Blues: A Life in American Music."
The first artist he brought to Muscle Shoals was Aretha Franklin, whose 1967 debut, "I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You," redefined soul music.
As the '60s wore on, Wexler grew more involved with producing and much less with running Atlantic, although he was still closely involved in signing Led Zeppelin, the J. Geils Band and Donnie Hathaway. He left Atlantic for good in 1975, but resurfaced two years later returned as VP of A&R for Warner Bros. Records.
In his autobiography, Wexler says that with the help of Karen Berg, they signed the B-52's, Dire Straits and Gang Of Four. During the latter half of the 1970s, Wexler produced Etta James' "Deep in the Night," Bob Dylan's Christian album, "Slow Train Coming," Kim Carnes "Sailin'" and Dire Straits "Communique," among others.
Later in life, Wexler was involved with "The Wiz" soundtrack, the Dylan album "Saved" and recordings by a young George Michael, Bill Vera, Lou Ann Barton and Kenny Drew Jr.
Funeral details have yet to be announced.
Guns And Roses new album may have exclusive retail location
The June leak of nine allegedly "mastered, finished" tracks from Guns N' Roses' long-delayed "Chinese Democracy" spurred a renewed round of chatter about whether the Axl Rose-led band will finally release the 14-years-in-the-making album.
But some concrete signs are finally emerging that the album's release could be imminent. That's because, according to sources, negotiations are underway for "Chinese Democracy" to come out as an exclusive at one of the big boxes -- either Wal-Mart or Best Buy.
Negotiations are also ongoing to have conventional record company distribution, another source says.
Guns N' Roses is now managed by Irving Azoff's Front Line Management, and Azoff is a well-known proponent of issuing albums exclusively through retailers. He released the Eagles' "Long Road Out of Eden" through Wal-Mart, much to the chagrin of other merchants.
Most recently, it became known that AC/DC's next album will come out exclusively through Wal-Mart. Merchants were particularly incensed that the deal was apparently struck with the blessing of Columbia.
It's unclear who initiated the Guns N' Roses exclusive negotiations -- Front Line or Interscope, the band's label.
Representatives at Front Line and Interscope with knowledge of the situation couldn't be reached for comment by deadline. A Wal-Mart representative says the chain couldn't confirm this fall's exclusives. Best Buy representatives couldn't be reached for comment by deadline.
But some concrete signs are finally emerging that the album's release could be imminent. That's because, according to sources, negotiations are underway for "Chinese Democracy" to come out as an exclusive at one of the big boxes -- either Wal-Mart or Best Buy.
Negotiations are also ongoing to have conventional record company distribution, another source says.
Guns N' Roses is now managed by Irving Azoff's Front Line Management, and Azoff is a well-known proponent of issuing albums exclusively through retailers. He released the Eagles' "Long Road Out of Eden" through Wal-Mart, much to the chagrin of other merchants.
Most recently, it became known that AC/DC's next album will come out exclusively through Wal-Mart. Merchants were particularly incensed that the deal was apparently struck with the blessing of Columbia.
It's unclear who initiated the Guns N' Roses exclusive negotiations -- Front Line or Interscope, the band's label.
Representatives at Front Line and Interscope with knowledge of the situation couldn't be reached for comment by deadline. A Wal-Mart representative says the chain couldn't confirm this fall's exclusives. Best Buy representatives couldn't be reached for comment by deadline.
Lil Atlanta from Trillville
Atlanta, GA-- August 12, 2008-- LA aka Lil' Atlanta also known as Lizzle from Trillville is scheduled to release his first solo project with the single "I Gets Gwap" due in September. The release showcases a musical blend of thuggish, smoothish crunk music. With hits under his belt, such as "Some Cut" and "Neva Eva", and Trillville's latest "Money Line", Lizzle is making a name for himself on the music forefront.
The former promoter turned rapper is back to share a more personal and business savvy side of himself. Lizzle has gained the support of SMC Records to launch I'm Good Entertainment.
Keeping with his roots of truth and real-- the core values of Trillville, Lizzle applies personal experiences and life lessons to his music, his career, and now his imprint I'm Good Entertainment. He shares "I have been fortunate to have been mentored by Lil' Jon and now I want to give other artists an opportunity to create and share their visions with the world."
The album "Itz Me", which is due fall 2008. comes on the heels of Trillville's current album "Straight Up. No Chaser", which is rapidly climbing the charts.
Media Contact:
Bonyetta Brison Kitts
The Brison Group, Inc.
Phone: (404) 474-8279
Email: bbrisonkitts@thebrisongroup.com
The former promoter turned rapper is back to share a more personal and business savvy side of himself. Lizzle has gained the support of SMC Records to launch I'm Good Entertainment.
Keeping with his roots of truth and real-- the core values of Trillville, Lizzle applies personal experiences and life lessons to his music, his career, and now his imprint I'm Good Entertainment. He shares "I have been fortunate to have been mentored by Lil' Jon and now I want to give other artists an opportunity to create and share their visions with the world."
The album "Itz Me", which is due fall 2008. comes on the heels of Trillville's current album "Straight Up. No Chaser", which is rapidly climbing the charts.
Media Contact:
Bonyetta Brison Kitts
The Brison Group, Inc.
Phone: (404) 474-8279
Email: bbrisonkitts@thebrisongroup.com
Diamond inks solo deal with Warner Brothers
DIAMOND INKS SOLO DEAL WITH WARNER BROS. RECORDS INC.
Rapper Goes Solo With Multilayer Warner Bros. Records Inc. Deal
New York, NY (August X, 2008) – Female rapper Diamond, formerly of the group Crime Mob – which spawned the platinum single "Knuck If You Buck," and certified gold single "Rock Yo Hips" – signed a multilayer solo deal with Warner Bros. Records Inc. Warner Bros. Records Inc. will be investing not only in the growth of Diamond as an artist, but also as a brand, building off of her recent campaign with FILA. Together, Diamond and Warner Bros. Records Inc. will also be tying in various endorsements, which include TV and film opportunities, setting her debut solo album up to be one of the biggest releases of 2009.
"Diamond is an incredible talent," said Kevin Black, Head of Urban Music at Warner Bros. "She has what it takes to succeed not just in the rap game, but all areas of the entertainment business."
Diamond says of her new venture "I'm so excited about my new solo deal with Warner- it's been a long time coming! It's important for me to give my fans the Diamond they already know, but to also give them something new from me! I hope to work with a few of my favorite people in the industry, from Timbaland to T-Pain on my new album, so there's definitely going to be a few surprises in store!"
An Atlanta native, Diamond became a member of the group Crime Mob in 2003, and in 2004 the group signed to Crunk Incorporated. Their self-titled debut album was released through Crunk Incorporated/G's Up/Reprise Records and featured the hit single "Knuck If You Buck," and in 2006 the group released their sophomore album Hated on Mostly, spawning the smash "Rock Yo Hips." Diamond has a new management team consisting of Bryan Leach of Polo Grounds Music as well as Amy Johnson and Keke Smith of Cookies & Milk. In Spring 2008, FILA featured Diamond in their new ad campaign - How Do You FILA - which was included in several national magazines including XXL, Blender, and Giant.
###
Miatta David / Priya Bhambri
MVD Inc
212-244-5436
Miatta@mvdinc.us / priya@mvdinc.us
Richie Abbott
Warner Bros. Records
818-953-3408
Richie.Abbott@wbr.com
Rapper Goes Solo With Multilayer Warner Bros. Records Inc. Deal
New York, NY (August X, 2008) – Female rapper Diamond, formerly of the group Crime Mob – which spawned the platinum single "Knuck If You Buck," and certified gold single "Rock Yo Hips" – signed a multilayer solo deal with Warner Bros. Records Inc. Warner Bros. Records Inc. will be investing not only in the growth of Diamond as an artist, but also as a brand, building off of her recent campaign with FILA. Together, Diamond and Warner Bros. Records Inc. will also be tying in various endorsements, which include TV and film opportunities, setting her debut solo album up to be one of the biggest releases of 2009.
"Diamond is an incredible talent," said Kevin Black, Head of Urban Music at Warner Bros. "She has what it takes to succeed not just in the rap game, but all areas of the entertainment business."
Diamond says of her new venture "I'm so excited about my new solo deal with Warner- it's been a long time coming! It's important for me to give my fans the Diamond they already know, but to also give them something new from me! I hope to work with a few of my favorite people in the industry, from Timbaland to T-Pain on my new album, so there's definitely going to be a few surprises in store!"
An Atlanta native, Diamond became a member of the group Crime Mob in 2003, and in 2004 the group signed to Crunk Incorporated. Their self-titled debut album was released through Crunk Incorporated/G's Up/Reprise Records and featured the hit single "Knuck If You Buck," and in 2006 the group released their sophomore album Hated on Mostly, spawning the smash "Rock Yo Hips." Diamond has a new management team consisting of Bryan Leach of Polo Grounds Music as well as Amy Johnson and Keke Smith of Cookies & Milk. In Spring 2008, FILA featured Diamond in their new ad campaign - How Do You FILA - which was included in several national magazines including XXL, Blender, and Giant.
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Miatta David / Priya Bhambri
MVD Inc
212-244-5436
Miatta@mvdinc.us / priya@mvdinc.us
Richie Abbott
Warner Bros. Records
818-953-3408
Richie.Abbott@wbr.com
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