Mariah Carey, Nelly Furtado & Beyonce Address Qaddafi Scandal
In response to revelations that the Qaddafi family paid copious fees to popular US entertainers to perform at their private functions, several recording artists linked to the story have this week addressed their involvement in the scandal and pledged money to charities in a show of remorse.
“I was naive and unaware of who I was booked to perform for,” offered a sheepish Mariah Carey. “I feel horrible and embarrassed to have participated in this mess. Going forward, this is a lesson for all artists to learn from. We need to be more aware and take more responsibility regardless of who books our shows. Ultimately, we as artists are to be held accountable.” Continue reading »
Game & Fat Joe Join Supafest Line-Up
Californian rapper Game and New York hip-hop veteran Fat Joe have been announced as the latest additions to the Supafest 2011 line-up. Billed as Australia’s largest urban music festival, Game and Fat Joe will join a laundry list of artists taking to the Supafest stages next month - including Snoop Dogg, Nelly, Timbaland, Taio Cruz, T-Pain, Busta Rhymes, Ciara, New Boyz and Bow Wow.
Game is also scheduled to release his fourth studio album R.E.D. later this year featuring production from Dr. Dre and appearances from Chris Brown and Wiz Khalifa.
Select your state to purchase tickets to Supafest 2011: NSW / VIC / QLD / WA
DJ Havana Brown Scores Las Vegas Residency
Melbourne’s DJ Havana Brown has landed herself a 12-month residency at Paris Las Vegas’ Chateau Nightclub & Gardens- the only club located directly on the Las Vegas Strip. Brown will make her Vegas debut this weekend alongside six-time Grammy nominee Drake and DJ Samantha Ronson.
Chateau spans more than 45,000-square-feet and is sprawled across two-stories, boasting open-air views, Parisian gardens and lavish decor.
Havana Brown, who has toured alongside Britney Spears, Lady GaGa and Rihanna, will also be travelling Australia next month with Chris Brown on his F.A.M.E. Tour.
Billboard’s Top 40 Money Makers
Billboard have released their annual list of music’s Top 40 Money Makers [calculated solely from U.S. earnings], revealing Lady GaGa as the highest earning artist of the past year – netting over $30.5 million through touring, music sales and related activities.
Touring accounted for the bulk of GaGa’s earnings, adding $23.8 million to her bottom line, as compared with the $5.7 million the kooky pop star collected through music sales.
Hip-Hop heavyweights Eminem [$11.21 million] and Jay-Z [$11.64 million] came in at #18 and #17 on the list, respectively, while Usher occupies the #15 spot thanks to $8.8 million in tour revenue, 1.7 million album sales and 10.8 million digital track sales.
View the Top 40 Money Makers list in full over at Billboard.
Video: Dr. Dre featuring Eminem & Skylar Grey – “I Need A Doctor”
Interscope Records places all its chips on Dr Dre’s second Detox single - ”I Need A Doctor” - with an epic and flagrantly expensive music video directed by Allen Hughes [Menace II Society].
The cinematic clip features an emotionally distraught Dre contemplating his tumultuous career/life and tempting fate as he speeds down a winding coastal highway, inevitably rolling his Ferrari and landing in a decade-long coma. “The car crash is just, metaphorically speaking, like Dre’s been in a coma, and like me and hip-hop are trying to wake him up out of his coma,” explains Eminem in reference to the 11-year hiatus between Dr. Dre albums. Continue reading »
Beyonce, Usher & Mariah Linked to Qaddafi Party
Beyonce, Mariah Carey and Usher have earned themselves unwelcome publicity following a Wikileaks post alleging the superstars accepted extravagant fees to perform at private parties hosted by the son of Libyan dictator Muammar al-Qaddafi.
It is reported that Mutassim, the fourth son of Colonel Qaddafi, hosted two lavish New Years Eve celebrations on St. Barts island in the Caribbean featuring private performances from American entertainers including Beyonce. The Wikileaks article indicates each artist was compensated to the tune of +$1 million for their one-off performances. Continue reading »
Video: ‘Game Changers’ with B.o.B, Janelle Monae, Lupe Fiasco & Estelle
Danyel Smith, editor-in-chief at Billboard Magazine, moderates a roundtable discussion with the crème de la crème of Atlantic’s artist roster in honour of Black History Month.
“Black History Month honours those who took risks and by doing so, changed the course of history. Following that same tradition, Atlantic Records salutes Black History Month, year round with artists whose musical passion will forever leave an imprint in Black history. That being said, we proudly present B.o.B, Janelle monae, Lupe Fiasco and Estelle…”
View the three-part Game Changers video series below: Continue reading »
What’s The Big Deal About Maybach Music Group?
“Ink dry. Warner Bros. Big bucks,” read the text from Rick Ross to RapRadar‘s Elliott Wilson. The Miami rap Don had finally secured a distribution deal for his label - Maybach Music Group - ending weeks of speculation and an apparent bidding war between Warner Bros., Interscope, Roc Nation/Sony and Cash Money Records.
It was Warner Bros. Records that emerged victorious. But what have their “big bucks” bought them? The right to market and distribute new albums from Maybach’s stable of certified underachievers?
Take a look at their sales history. Continue reading »
Ryan Leslie’s Australian Sojourn
A stealthy Ryan Leslie touched down in Australia last week to support his Aussie model girlfriend, Nicole Trufino, as she strode the runway for retail giant David Jones at the LÓreal Melbourne Fashion Festival.
“We’re on and off all the time,” Trunfio revealed to PerthNow of her relationship with Leslie. “It’s hard with travelling and stuff but he’s an amazing, really intelligent man, a really supportive boyfriend, always there no matter what. It’s good to have someone like that in my life. It’s just hard with the travelling. We Skype a lot, it’s the biggest lifesaver.” Continue reading »
