Dr. Dre Sues Death Row Over Rights To The Chronic
Dr. Dre, filed a lawsuit in bankruptcy court on Wednesday (August 15) against defunct label Death Row Records over the rights to his 1992 solo debut, The Chronic.
According to the Associated Press, the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles claims that Dre is be the rightful owner of the copyrights of the album and that Death Row have infringed on his rights by continuing to distribute the album without the rapper's authorization.
Dre is asking the court to rescind two prior agreements, made in 1992 and 1996, that first granted Death Row permission to distribute The Chronic, and later relinquished the album's copyrights to the label.
Under the 1996 agreement, the producer agreed to sign over the copyrights on the condition that he would continue to receive royalties. In 2000, Dre notified Death Row that, due to their failure to pay these royalties, he was rescinding the two prior agreements and demanding the rights to the album be returned to him.
Because of that notice, he is once again the rightful owner of the copyrights, and also asserts that the Chapter 11 trustee currently overseeing the label is in the process of trying to sell the copyrights without proper permission.
Via the suit, Dre is asking that the label and trustee pay him restitution for all revenue Death Row received from its use of The Chronic, and would like the court to issue a permanent injunction that would bar the defendants from offering the copyrights for sale without his written consent.
Death Row Records produced a string of hit records in the 90s from artists such as Snoop Dogg, the slain rapper Tupac Shakur and Dre as well, but the label struggled when owner Marion "Suge" Knight was sent to prison for assault and weapons violations.
Since then, the once powerful Death Row empire has slowly collapsed. Knight filed for bankruptcy protection in early 2006 to maintain control of the label (see "Suge Knight Files For Bankruptcy To Maintain Control Of Death Row") after bankruptcy courts first tried to take control, then claimed he was broke in May 2006.
50 Cent Loses, Fans Back Kanye West In New Poll
SOHH recently conducted a poll about the hype surrounding 50 Cent and Kanye West's SoundScan showdown on September 11. The survey reveals that 51% of the readers that participated believe that West's Graduation will have higher first week sales than 50's Curtis.
The poll, which included feedback from over 3,000 fans between the ages of 12 and 35, was conducted after 50 said that if West sold more records than him, he would no longer release solo albums.
According to the survey, when asked whose album will have the higher first week sales 51.35% of the respondents said Kanye, while 37.16% said Fif and 11.49% believed it was too close to call. 53.47% also said they were more likely to buy Ye's album, while 20.95% would spend their cash on the new 50.
When asked if readers believe 50 will honor his claim that he will stop recording solo CDs if Kanye sells outsells him, 76% of respondents do not believe Fif will honor the bet.
In related news, during a recent interview on the British TV show "The Night Project," West finally answered 50's bet.
"I really like 50. I don't want him to retire once my album sells the most," the Chicago rapper/producer revealed. "Please 50. Do not retire once my album sales beats your album. I really like your songs, I'm a big fan."
Tha Dogg Pound Sign Deal With Cash Money Records
Just months after releasing their latest album, Dogg Chit, as the Dogg Pound in March, Daz and Kurupt have signed a deal with Cash Money Records to release their next through the New Orleans based label.
In a statement posted on the duo's official website on Friday (August 17), they confirm the signing, but give no further details, except that a "new album droppin' soon on Cash Money Records."
Kurupt is quoted as saying to DubCNN, "It's official, me and Daz just got off the phone with Baby, Slim and Snoop. West Coast Aftershocc n----." A release date for the album was unknown at press time.
Their last album, Dogg Chit, was released through Daz's DPG Recordz, in conjunction with indie powerhouse Koch Records. It opened at no. 77 on the Billboard 200, selling 11,837 in its first week, and featured guest spots from The Game, Snoop Dogg, Too Short and Bad Azz.
In late 2002, Kurupt caused a stir within the DPG camp when he went back to Death Row Records. All affiliate members -- including Daz and Snoop -- took several shots and dissed Kurupt harshly for making the move, and Kurupt fired back as well. The camp remained split, until early 2005 when Kurupt and Daz reunited, and began working together again.
Soon after, the two released Dillinger & Young Gotti II: Tha Saga Continuez..., followed by several other projects including their comeback/reunion album Cali Iz Active with Snoop Dogg, and Kurupt's Same Day, Different Sh--.
Currently, the duo plan to release a DVD titled "Tha Dogg Pound: The Videos," while Daz continues to release indie solo projects -- one is titled Gangsta Party and is slated for September, as well as another titled Only On The Left Side, which doesn't have a current release date.
As part of his ever-growing resume, T.I. will join Danny Glover in, Once Was Lost, which will likely be released sometime in 2008, or later. We've has gained a few exclusive details about the film, which is currently in the pre-production phase.
The film will be directed by Brad Gann, the writer and director of 2006's Invincible, which starred Mark Wahlberg as a 30-year-old bartender who eventually became an NFL player with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Once Was Lost finds T.I. playing the role of Slam. When a rival gang kills Slam's best friend, he must head south to get access to some hidden cash. Slam's only means of transportation is his elderly apartment manager, Marcel Washington, who is played by Glover. As Slam starts to exact his revenge, various plot twists take place and the two men form an unlikely bond. T.I. confirmed a few details with MTV, while speaking on his role in the recently completed American Gangster.
"I play a young, money-hungry drug dealer, and Danny Glover is in it with me," T.I. explained. "He plays a senile jazz musician. He kind of tricked me into driving him to Mississippi from Harlem [New York] against my will. We learn so much about each other along the way. It's kinda like [an] older generation/younger generation, unlikely bond. [It's an] extreme pleasure to be able to work alongside a legend like Danny Glover."
While it will likely take months for more details to emerge about Once Was Lost, fans can catch T.I., Denzel Washington, Common, RZA and many more of their favorite artists in American Gangster, which will be in theaters November 2.
Jay-Z On Remix To Saigon's "Come On Baby"
Saigon recently spoke to MTV News about his up-coming album "The Greatest Story Never Told" and his new single "Come On Baby".
"Yeah, Jay's on my album. He's on the remix to the single, he aired it out. I still gotta go back and rewrite my verse," said Saigon. "He really does the 'Rain Man' thing, he doesn't sit down and write," he continued. "For mad years, I was like, 'He's too clever, I don't believe he don't write [lyrics] down. He's too on point.' But with this beat, when he came to record to it, he never heard the beat before and his rhyme went so perfect with the beat. I was like he couldn't have wrote this at home, he couldn't have had this in the stash. Maybe this dude do got more brain cells than everybody else. I tell him all the time, 'You an alien, man.' "
Saigon also said there would be a video coming soon for "Come On Baby" and he hopes to do a Rock influenced treatment for the song due to its heavier sound.
"Being that it's rock-influenced, I wanna get a rock band. Remember [Run-DMC's] 'Walk This Way'? I wanted to do it just like that," he explained of a treatment he has in his head. "Me and Just [Blaze] in one side of the studio, doing some rap stuff, they doing their rock stuff [on another side], then we banging on the wall. We wanna use 'Walk This Way' as sort of like a blueprint. The record is real rock-influenced, let's incorporate that into the video, instead of us just being in the club. "
Florida’s DJ Smallz Makes the Ultimate Posse Cut
Florida native DJ Smallz has united 30 established and up and coming artists from his home state of Florida for a monumental new track called “Welcome to the Gunshine State.”
Smallz, the purveyor of the hugely popular Southern Smoke mixtape series, conceived the track as a way to bring attention to the flourishing Florida rap scene and create a buzz ahead of the release of his upcoming LP, Southern Smoke: The Album.
“No one in Florida has found a way to unite Artists representing all hoods, counties and cities in Florida until now,” he says. “And I felt like this was a great time for me to release this record with the attention that TJs DJs conference, [the] Ozone Awards, Khaled & Plies were bringing to the state. Now with people paying close attention to what’s going on down here, it was my responsibility to the streets to make sure everyone was represented, and this record definitely shows how the whole state can be united.”
Artists featured on “Welcome to the Gunshine State” include Acafool, Brisco, C-Ride, Dirtbag, Deuce Poppi, Dukwon, Dunk Ryders, Flo-Rida, Grandaddy Souf, Haitian Fresh, Jacki-O, Joe Hound, J-Shin, Papa Duck, Piccalo, Plies, Smilez & Southstar, Smitty, Stacks, Suave Smooth, Supa Chino, Swordz, Tampa Tony, Tom G, Treal, Trinity, Triple C’s, Triple J, Wes Fif and Young Cash. The track is produced by DJ Smallz.
UNRELEASED JACKSON 5 SONGS FOUND
A whole bunch of unreleased material from The Jackson 5 is about to hit the streets after collecting cobwebs in a New Jersey warehouse for years, reports WENN.
The collection was found after Richard Altomare, the head of luggage movement company Universal Express, bought unclaimed Jackson family memorabilia from the warehouse. Many of the items were auctioned off during a big two-day sale in Las Vegas. The Jackson 5 tapes from the 1970s contain roughly 60 unreleased songs.
Altomare says he is currently in talks with Michael Jackson and his sister Janet, who wasn’t in the band, as well as recording labels – including Sony – to get the unreleased material in stores.
"I've personally talked to Michael and Janet on the phone about the tapes, and even played on a couple of songs for them,” says Altomare. "At first there was silence on the other end of the line, but that was quickly followed by giggles as if it brought them back to the day those songs were recorded."
"Raisin In The Sun" Starring Sean Combs To Air On ABC In 2008
The three-hour television movie adaptation of "A Raisin in the Sun" will air as an "ABC Premiere Event" MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25 (8:00-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.
Sean Combs, who reprises the role of Walter Lee, Jr., which brought him acclaim, stars along with the cast of the award-winning Broadway revival, who recreated their roles for the film, including Emmy and Tony Award winner Phylicia Rashad, four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald, Tony Award nominee Sanaa Lathan, plus "ER" star John Stamos.
Executive producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, whose big screen movie musical "Hairspray" is one of the breakout hits of the summer, said of their latest event for television: "We are honored to have brought a new movie version of 'A Raisin in the Sun' to ABC, from Sony Pictures Television, to a new generation of viewers. We are humbled by our formidable cast and are very grateful to Steve McPherson for giving us the coveted slot on the night after the Oscars."
"A Raisin in the Sun" tells the story of a family living and struggling on Chicago 's South Side in the 1950s. A fiercely moving portrait of people whose hopes and dreams are constantly deferred, "A Raisin in the Sun" was the first play written by an African American woman to be produced on Broadway. It premiered in 1959 with a cast that included Sidney Poitier, Claudia McNeil, Diana Sands, Ruby Dee and Louis Gossett Jr. A Columbia Pictures feature with the same cast followed in 1961.
Phylicia Rashad won the Best Actress Tony Award for her role in "Raisin" -- becoming the first African American actress to ever win the Tony in this category. Audra McDonald won the Best Featured Actress Tony Award for her role in the play, and Sanaa Lathan was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress for her performance. Sean Combs appeared opposite Halle Berry in "Monster's Ball" and made his acting debut in the film "Made."
The ground-breaking drama portrays a brief period of time in the life of the Younger family as they anxiously await the arrival of a $10,000 life insurance check made out to Lena Younger (Phylicia Rashad, "The Cosby Show"), the family matriarch, from the estate of her late husband, Walter Lee. Everyone in the family has their own ideas about how they plan to use their new-found wealth and are eager for their new lives to start.
"A Raisin in the Sun" stars Sean Combs as Walter Lee, Jr., Phylicia Rashad as Lena Younger, Audra McDonald("ABC's Private Practice," HBO's "Wit,", ABC's "Annie," and the recent Broadway production of "110 in the Shade") as Ruth, Sanaa Lathan ("Out of Time," "Something New") as Beneatha , John Stamos (A&E's "Wedding Wars") as Mr. Lindner, Sean Patrick Thomas ("Barbershop 2: Back in Business") as George Murchison, David Oyelowo ("The Last King of Scotland") as Joseph Asagai, Bill Nunn ("Spider Man") as Bobo and Cephas Jones ("Law & Order") as Willy Harris.
"A Raisin in the Sun" is a production of Storyline Entertainment and Bad Boy World Wide Entertainment Group in association with Sony Pictures Television.
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