The reincarnation of Blackground Records is undoubtedly the talk of the day.
Label CEO Barry Hankerson has sent fans of Toni Braxton and Aaliyah into a frenzy with reports he’s unlocking long-vaulted albums of the divas’ – including ‘Libra’ and ‘Aaliyah: the Album’ respectively – to streaming outlets (as we posted here).
Among the most prized offerings of the imprint are the first two LPs of GRAMMY-nominated songbird JoJo, a 2004-released self-titled effort and 2006’s ‘The High Road.’ Those same projects were at the center of a decade-long battle between the songstress and the label that controversially ended with her being freed from her binding contract and later re-recording the jaunts.
Because of her complicated past with Hankerson and co., Jo made it clear she isn’t necessarily among those who are celebrating the wave of Blackground music finally making an appearance on digital platforms.
While JoJo fans rejoiced at news of the original editions of her first two albums finally hitting the likes of Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, and other streaming giants, the diva offered a surprising, yet honest response to the hoopla.
“…a stream of the re-recorded 2018 version supports me and helps me continue to do what I love. streaming the original unfortunately does not,” she said.
As alluded to in her comment, the absence of credited songwriting on the original projects means she has no ownership of its content. Therefore, any revenue generated by streaming would go directly to the label.
Per her request, direct your attention to the sets’ re-recorded versions by clicking here.