Shakir Stewart named the NEW BOSS for Def Jam Recordings.

Shakir Stewart has been promoted to Executive Vice President (Jay-Z’s replacement), Def Jam Recordings, it was announced today by Antonio “L.A.” Reid, Chairman, Island Def Jam Music Group. Mr. Stewart will report directly to Mr. Reid, and to Steve Bartels, President & COO, Island Def Jam Music Group, on operational matters. Stewart will be based in Atlanta and New York. mIn his new post, Mr. Stewart will assume overall responsibility for the day to day activities of the Def Jam label, including the acquisition and development of new talent, overseeing producers and guiding the creative vision and brand recognition of the legendary label. Thanks to Dr Drew for the tip.

Universal Music Execs tell Amy Winehouse to quit drugs or NO NEW ALBUM!

AMY WINEHOUSE has been warned by her label to keep out of trouble – or NEVER release another album. Chiefs at Universal issued the stern ultimatum that the druggy singer can only put out another CD if she is clean. Are these the same execs that had her recording a song that says she's not going to rehab.....I say no, no, no!

Atlanta Gossip gives us their exclusive interview with TWEETY of R&B group "NEXT"

TWEETY LOOKING GOOD!

By Tiffany Long 2/15/08

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - Atlanta Gossip (AG) Reporter Tiffany Long spoke tonight live via the phone with former Next group member Raphael “Tweety” Brown. He told me that he was no longer in the group Next. He said that he was kicked out of the band of 10 years that he started with his brother, Terry 'T-Low' Brown and band mate, Robert Lavelle 'R.L.' Huggar by their new manager and Music World Entertainment record label head, Mathew Knowles. He was replaced with R&B singer, Deponce who lives here in Atlanta .

If you remember back in 2006, Next signed to Mathew Knowles' Music World Entertainment label. As you may recall, on April 2, 2007, R.L. revealed on Atlanta’s V-103’s Frank Ski & Wanda Morning Show, that their new album would be entitled Sex Toy. Tweety told me that Mathew made them change the title and it was renamed to, Next, Lies, & Videotape by Solange Knowles, Mathew’s daughter. Their album was rumored to be originally slated for a July 2007 release, but was delayed because Mathew was working on Beyonce’s B’ Day album. In the meantime, he made the boys re-record the entire album with new member, Deponce. At the same time R.L. was also working on his second solo album and Mathew ordered him to stop and concentrate on the groups effort.


Tiffany: Tweety, so what happened?


Tweety: To keep it on a real tip, me and Mathew bumped heads from day one. He came in and just wanted to make all these changes. We have been doing our thing for a decade and he did not respect what we had done. He was not happy unless it was his way and only his way. He did not take any of our ideas into consideration.


Tiffany: What do you mean his way?


Tweety: That dude is on a power trip. If things aren’t his way, it’s nobody’s way. He even allowed his daughter who don’t even have a career basically to come in and write songs for us and name our album. What kind of B@^#S^ #% is that? Anyway, I can’t go into to much more detail because of a pending suit, but all I can say is, he is a dictator.


Tiffany: Wow, it’s funny that you say that. I have heard the same exact thing from the former band members of Destiny’s Child. You know LaTavia and I are good friends...We talk all the time.


Tiffany: Anyway, let me stay on track. That is totally another story for another day…haaa. So why do you think he kicked you out of the group? Well, without saying to much, I was told that I was not carrying my weight and that I couldn’t sing. I was told that I was the cancer that had killed the success of the group.


Tiffany: What? You were told that?


Tweety: Yeap, in so many ways…


Tiffany: So what happened to the album?


Tweety: The guys are re-recording it without me…they are re-doing it with their new singer name, Deponce. He is from Atlanta.


Tiffany: So, is your brother still in the group?


Tweety: Yes.



Tiffany: So how do you feel about that?



Tweety: I have no comment on that particular situation.



Tiffany: Ok...Is it true that you warned your fellow band mates not to sign with Mathew Knowles and his Music World Entertainment Label?



Tweety: Yes, that is true, but the fellows thought that he could take our careers to the next level. They thought that we could be the male version of “Destiny’s Child.”



Tiffany: Well, we all know that would never happen. Mathew is only concerned about Beyonce and none of his other artists. So what are your plans for the future?



Tweety: I am writing and producing songs and I have written a ballard for a major female R&B singer who lives here in Atlanta . I also have an offer on the table to travel with a major stage play, so we will see how things work out.



Tiffany: Well Tweety, we wish you all the best and let us know how things are working out for you.

Tweety: I will…thanks for talking with me.


Who is Deponce? To find out more about Tweety’s replacement in the group, visit Deponce’s My Space page.

http://www.myspace.com/deponcemusic

Thanks to Tiffany Long of Atlanta Gossip for giving us all the exclusives.

Former "Idol" singer Jennifer Hudson's album cancelled

Oscar/SAG/Golden Globe award winner and former American Idol Jennifer Hudson got her album cancelled by Clive Davis. Yet another Idol in this Idol curse of labels dropping Idol artists or their album. Here's what Ryan of One Republic had to say.......

““They made half an album and ended up scrapping it. Clive — wisely, I think — said, ‘No one’s going to buy this. We’re trying to turn her into Aretha Franklin, and that’s not realistic.’” They scrapped a bunch of songs and started fresh. I heard a Timbaland song that was by far the best song she’s done. I do wish, and I know the label wishes, that this album had come out six months ago. But Clive’s smart. He didn’t want to just put out a crap album just because of the momentum,” Ryan Tedder of One Republic says.

CBS's Last.fm Web Site Will Offer Free Music Service.

CBS's Last.fm Web site is starting a free streaming music service supported by advertising. Last.fm has deals with the four-biggest record companies to offer about 3.5 million tracks free of charge to listeners. The site plans to expand beyond music into sports, news and television.

Witnesses say Diddy hit couple last year in club!

Rap mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs is at the center of accusations surrounding an assault last year at a nightclub in Hollywood. The Associated Press reports that four eyewitnesses support Gerard Rechnitzer, who alleges that Combs assaulted him and his girlfriend at a post-Oscar party on Feb. 25, 2007 outside Teddy's at the Roosevelt Hotel. Personally I believe he hit them. Diddy, money can't buy everything?

Ronald Johnson, Executive VP of Capitol music dead at 49!

VP of Capitol music, Ronnie Johnson, who has worked with Chingy, J. Holiday and Fat Joe, to name a few died of a heart attack after returning from Spain to celebrate his 16th wedding anniversary, will not be forgotten. "He's going to be missed," Darrale Jones, vice president of A&R at Atlantic Records told the Journal News. "I'm still in shock. Jones said he had known Johnson for about four years and described him as an "incredible personality" who had worked with some of today's top-selling artists.