Music Industry

Los Angeles, CA – (28 October 2010) – Two separate but related copyright infringement lawsuits were filed today in the United States District Court for the Central District of California against the members of the Black Eyed Peas and their record labels and publishers, including UMG Recordings and Interscope Records. The songs involved in the suits are two internationally acclaimed hit songs that brought the Black Eyed Peas extraordinary profits and iconic success: “I Gotta Feeling” and “Boom Boom Pow.”

One Complaint was filed in the Federal District Court in Orange County and alleges that the Black Eyed Peas intentionally and willfully copied a Texas songwriter, Bryan Pringle’s song “Take a Dive” when they co-wrote and recorded their Grammy award-winning hit song, “I Gotta Feeling.” As a result of the copying, “I Gotta Feeling,” as a whole, is “substantially similar” to “Take a Dive,” which was copyrighted by Pringle in 1998, and the leading melody contained in both songs, described in the Complaint as the “guitar twang sequence,” is identical. A side-by-side comparison of both songs demonstrates that they sound virtually identical, the Complaint alleges. The Complaint further alleges that Pringle regularly submitted his demo CDs to Interscope Records, UMG Recordings and EMI over a period of approximately ten years, and received written correspondence on multiple occasions informing him that his music was received, but they had no interest in signing him as an artist, or purchasing his songs for use by other artists. Continue Reading…

It’s obvious that Willow Smith is closely following the coaching she has no doubt received from her parents, Will and Jada. During a recent MTV interview, the 9-year-old said, “I felt like all my hard work has paid off.”

What youngster do you know speaks like that? Now, reports are circulating that Willow’s parents should teach her how to read better, because they say the little girl had a had time pronouncing the word ‘congratulations.” More particularly, sites like mediatakeout.com are saying just that! WTF?!?! I say they should give Willow a break — the kid was nervous when she appeared on 106 And Park. Continue Reading…

Back in 1980, the record industry was in turmoil – a place they seem to find themselves in on a regular basis. Featuring interviews with various record label executives on weather or not this new thing called “music video” would save the record business.

“They’re Throwing Up A Lot of Facades”

HSK Exclusive - The man behind the discoveries of now household names in rap music believes many of today’s artists remain a far cry from what talent once was. In this exclusive interview with Dave Lighty, both Jacky Jasper and the OdLight Entertainment CEO agree that many of today’s artists sound the same — making the true singer obsolete in today’s market.

To be sure, Dave Lighty is responsible for bringing artists including 50 Cent, Kanye West and Nelly to the table. But during this candid conversation, the former Jive Records Senior Director tells how bringing those artists to light was not an easy task — pointing to the fact that record execs shut 50 Cent down FIVE times before signing the 20-million album-selling rapper.

Take a Listen…

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ODLIGHT.com

Dave Lighty Twitter

As major record labels struggle to stay relevant, the digital age continues to show its reign. And that’s exactly how one Boston-based music industry businessman made his name known in the music game.

In 2006, DJ Next founded Amalgam, Inc., a company which Source Magazine proclaimed has “it’s finger on the pulse of Hip-Hop’s future.” Now, less than five-years later, Amalgam Digital is a widely recognized new media outfit, complete with its own independent record label, online music store, and is living an expansion to the south with a headquarters based in Atlanta.

Next’s success is nothing short of amazing. He began his venture into the music business as a DJ making mix tapes, and with less than five-hundred dollars he started his empire focusing on developing new independent artists. Continue Reading…

The man who recruited rapper 50 Cent for Violator Management in 2003 holds a strong opinion on what it takes to reign in the world of blogging.

In this exclusive interview with Dave Lighty, both Jacky Jasper and the OdLight Entertainment CEO agree that many bloggers do nothing more than just copy and paste. In addition to the differences between blog sites, Lighty also explains the contrast between working at Jive Records and Def Jam Records, and gives us an inside stance on artists like LL Cool J, T.I., T-Pain and Chris Brown.

During this very candid conversation, Jacky Jasper also inquires into the rumor of LA Reid to be replaced by Dave’s brother, Chris Lighty.

Take a listen to this second segment of our four part series…

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“In a nut shell he has an album titled ‘Lost Tapes 2′ that his fans have been dying to have since his first one came out in 2005. They seem to not understand the cultural impact the first one had. The album is done and now they are saying he can put it out but it won’t count on his deal and they won’t pay for it but still want all the benefits of a new nas album.”

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From: Nas
To: LA Reid, Steve Bartels, Steve Gawley, Michael Seltzer, Joseph Borrino, Chris Hicks
Subject: PUT MY SHIT OUT!

Peace to all,

With all do respect to you all, Nas is NOBODY’s slave. This is not the 1800′s, respect me and I will respect you.

I won’t even tap dance around in an email, I will get right into it. People connect to the Artist @ the end of the day, they don’t connect with the executives. Honestly, nobody even cares what label puts out a great record, they care about who recorded it. Yet time and time again its the executives who always stand in the way of a creative artist’s dream and aspirations. You don’t help draw the truth from my deepest and most inner soul, you don’t even do a great job @ selling it. The #1 problem with DEF JAM is pretty simple and obvious, the executives think they are the stars. You aren’t…. not even close. As a matter of fact, you wish you were, but it didn’t work out so you took a desk job. To the consumer, I COME FIRST. Stop trying to deprive them! I have a fan base that dies for my music and a RAP label that doesn’t understand RAP. Pretty fucked up situation Continue Reading…