DRAKE STARTS NEW RECORD LABEL. WILL HE SIGN CANADIAN ARTISTS?

Ahhhhh....my friend Drake. He has now launched his own record label named what else? OVO and it's under Warner Music unlike his label with Young Money distributed on the Universal Music label. So what's next? We already know Drizzy got music artist The Weekend under lockdown so the big question is who's next on his new label?

P.Reign, KJ and Drake with me March 2012

My friends at Source magazine asked if he was going to be signing a few Canuck artists and I went hating on their page saying never! So much backstabbing and hate over there that I think he should start signing some big names in Nigeria. But some of these Nigerian rappers have their own independent labels too but yet to have a big label distribution deal.

OK, LET ME RESUME THE LOVE/HATE PART. So if u ask me, I will say Keysha Fresh is the one artist that needs to be signed right now. Make her the first lady of OVO. The girl works hard enough and deserves a big break. Another one is Vital who is of Ethiopian origin like The Weekend and Drake's DJ Future. Just make it an East African label and don't forget to stop by here in West Africa to sign Ruggedybaba and Ikechukwu. Glad my temporary asylum in Canada ended as I would not have been able to see the great rappers we have here.

People Drake must not even think of signing are Tommy Spitz, a Stalley wannabee that tried to slap me on the Stylus red carpet back in May 2012. I'm telling U, this is how ghetto they get. Toronto Police blacklisted his threats. Other rappers were begging me not to call the cops on him. Must be out on bail.

Classless Tommy Spitz and baby SPIT.

Very unprofessional. Had info about the murder of Rapper Anthony Spencer aka Tony Trapz and hid info about the killers. Well, those morons have now been arrested. I love snitching. Glad Trapz will get some justice soon. He was shot to death in a Toronto recording studio.  I heard Keysha Freshh did a track with Spitz. Girl stay away from stains and spit.

RAPPER RICK ROSS QUITS RECORD LABEL!

Hip-hop star RICK ROSS has cut ties with his longterm record label, vowing to release his next album through his own imprint. The rapper dropped his first two albums through Slip-N-Slide Records, a subsidiary of Def Jam, and has been affiliated with the company since 2005. But Ross has now decided to put out his next LP, Deeper Than Rap, through his own Maybach Music Group, according to SixShot.com. Deeper Than Rap is slated for release in April (09).

That picture up there makes me have an anxiety attack!

AMERICAN IDOL BOSSES BLOCK CONTESTANT'S ALBUM!!!

Bosses of hit TV talent contest AMERICAN IDOL are threatening legal action against a contestant who is due to release an album with a rival record company. Participants in the reality show are tied in to contracts promising only to record music with the programme's associate label, Sony/BMG. But Josiah Leming, who appeared in the 2007 series but failed to make it into the top 24, has signed a deal with Warner Records and his debut album is due to hit shops in January (09).

However, the 19-year-old, who was homeless when he appeared on the series, may be forced to scrap plans to launch his pop career - he has received a letter from American Idol chiefs, threatening legal action if he goes ahead with releasing the LP. Leming's representative tells New York Post gossip column PageSix, "Josiah was the only Idol contestant ever to get a record deal who didn't make the top 24, and one of only four contestants to get a deal this year.

He has personal reasons for getting his music out, threat or not. "His mother has terminal cancer, and nothing is going to stop him from getting his music out while she is alive to share it. His album on Warner Records will be released in late January '09."

These kinda issues really do bother me. I hope they can work this out. Below is Josiah doing his thing.

HEAR WHAT I ASKED FLO-RIDA IN THE MMVA PRESSROOM.

Basically about one of our Southern DJ's "DJ Montay" who himself is big right now. To my shock, on the credits I noticed that Montay PRODUCED "Low!" I called Big OOOMP about that last week and congratulated him. Montay is with Big Oomp records and camp. That is the label that runs the South! I will run the interview I did with Oomp and his pals in 2004 in ATL when my studio computer gets here.

Bertelsmann Seeks $1.5B for Sony-BMG Stake!

Germany's Bertelsmann is seeking $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion for its half share in Sony BMG after opening talks that could result in Sony gaining full control of the world's second-largest music company within weeks. The companies hope to strike a deal over the summer.

OH NO! JACKSON PROMOTION PULLED BY RECORD LABEL.

JANET JACKSON has another album flop on her hands - bosses at her record label have ceased promoting DISCIPLINE and there are no more single releases planned. Jackson, who once broke chart records with seven U.S. top five hits from one album - Rhythm Nation 1812, has scored only one hit from her new release, Feedback. And there are no plans to try to top that. In a disappointing email correspondence to celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, Jackson writes, "We started off with Feedback and the label and myself haven't quite seen eye to eye since the Feedback single so they've kind of basically stopped all promotion.

"I'm trying to figure out a way to say this, but just to say it and to be quite honest, they just stopped all promotion whatsoever on the album, so I don't think you're going to hear another single off this album." At the height of her popularity, Jackson scored 19 hit singles from just three albums - Control, Rhythm Nation: 1812 and Janet. And she still holds the record for scoring number ones in America from the same album, over three successive years.

Wonder if the tour is still gonna be on? I've had my share of cancellations here in Canada this year...Soulja Boy, FloRida, Day 26, Danity Kane, T-Pain, Bone Thugs and Harmony. At least FloRida will be performing at the MMVA's next weekend and I will be interviewing him this Monday evening the 9th.

T-Pain launches Digital record label.

T-Pain is expanding his portfolio and invading the world of digital music with the launch of his own independent record label, Nappy Boy Digital. The new venture will provide the Tallahassee, Florida based "sanga" - who is currently signed to Akon's Konvict Music label - a direct outlet to release his hits to fans via all major digital download sites. "Nappy Boy Digital is a dream come true for me," T-Pain said in a statement. "I'm excited about bringing music by new artists to people fresh out of the studio."

USHER'S MAMA: Jonetta Patton launches her own Record Label: JPat Records

JPat Records is currently representing two acts, Kwiet Storm, a Chicago-based R&B group comprised of four cousins, and Donte J., a twenty year old R&B singer from Philadelphia.

Blackstreet's Chauncey Black Signs To Busta Rhymes' Flipmode Label.

Former Blackstreet member Chauncey Black has just been snatched up by Busta Rhymes for his Flipmode label via Interscope. According to the singer, he ran into Busta during a studio session in Virginia Beach, and after seeing his intensity while working, he seized the opportunity to show Busta that his seriousness about his own solo endeavor. "This cat goes hard! I need to be in this camp," he remembered of the session. After impressing Busta, he landed a deal, and it's Flipmode for life, and reportedly has a tattoo to prove it.

"I wanted to get with a team that could give me that hip-hop feel, but also a team that would give me creative control. Busta let me do my whole record," said Chauncey of the new deal. "He saw the history with Blackstreet and trusted me." Through the deal, Chauncey will release his solo debut, titled Church Boy, which he says is "hard, soulful street music." As one of the founding members of the supergroup, Blackstreet, he scored a string of radio and pop hits such as "Before I Let You Go" and "Don't Leave Me." But it was the breakthrough success of "No Diggity" that helped them reach no. 1, largely due to help from Dr. Dre. His solo debut, Church Boy, does not have a release date as of press time. Hope things go more positive for Chauncey after his past legal troubles. I want to interview him!

Hear me talk to Busta about Flipmode/Violator Records in Africa



Source: Baller Status

Estelle ordered to fix her grills by record label!!!

Atlantic Records US have reportedly ordered Estelle to have cosmetic surgery on her teeth to help her break into the American charts. Who cares? As long as their paying for it. Estelle, my dentist in Toronto fixes grills good. Her name is Dr. Ghadi. Estelle was here last weekend on a private visit.

JD wants you to know he's the HEAD of TAG records.

If you are an aspiring artist, you better listen to Jermaine Dupri on this video. He knows what he's doing. Remember, JD is the son of Michael Mauldin, former VP at Colombia records. Mauldin and I met a few times in Atlanta. He owns Artistic Control Group. Visit them at www.artisticcontrol.com Now J.D is President of TAG records and So So Def records and engaged to Janet Jackson. Must be NIIIIIICE!