Following a window of exclusivity on TIDAL, JAY-Z‘s much discussed ‘4:44’ album hit all services (sans Spotify) within the last week.
It meant that Jigga’s numbers would be easier to track in the traditional sense. Especially after the confusion that ensued when he was awarded a Platinum plaque for “selling” 1 million copies of the LP in the US – despite the project only being available on TIDAL (who didn’t report their numbers). Later, it became apparent that this was possible due to Sprint “buying” a million copies to give away for “free” to customers.
So, how do the numbers stack for the album’s first wide week of availability?
According to Hits Daily Double, the simple answer is: good enough to secure a #1.
Jay will officially sit atop of the Billboard 200 this week and shifted the following to do so:
277,601
[Sales Plus Streaming]
———
175,441
[Pure Sales]
******************
For what it’s worth, another week at #1 looks likely. For, the 47-year-old is still in pole position on the iTunes US store and boasts more star power and hype than a number of the releases unleashed in this new tracking week.
For almost 20 years, Beyonce has proven a formidable force and 2016 was no different.
Billboard have published their list of Top 50 Music Money Makers and unsurprisingly Queen Bey has bested the rest.
The criteria drawn on to compile the tally were: sales, streaming, publishing, and touring.
While the list, in itself, makes for an interesting read, the difference between each act on certain fronts is even more riveting.
For instance, though Bey excelled in pure sales and touring (enough to make her total $20 million ahead of the act in #2 spot), other names like Rihanna and Drake outranked her streaming figure.
Check out key names, where they placed, and how they got there below…
Attorney Mike McKool delivered his opening argument in the trial, which is now underway in Los Angeles Superior Court. McKool said that before Jackson’s death in 2009, Jones had received his customary royalties from producing three albums: “Off the Wall,” “Thriller,” and “Bad.”
But, McKool argued that that changed when Jackson died and the singer’s estate took control of his finances. Jackson’s death brought a surge of interest in his catalog, and the estate reaped an increased share of the royalties from his hit songs. But Jones was not allowed to share in the bounty, McKool contended, and indeed was not even informed of the increased royalties until after filing suit in 2013.
Michael’s team thinks differently.
We believe the evidence will show that Mr. Jones is not entitled to anything but a fraction of the money he’s after. Mr. Jones has been paid over $18 million, and he will make millions more.
He didn’t get paid any of the money Michael was going to get because he didn’t do any of the work. Mr. Jones is asking for tens and tens of millions of dollars. He just wants it and he hopes you will give it to him.
The trial is set to last three weeks and will see Jones testify next week.
Nostalgia is proving a popular play in todays TV and film arenas. And Russell Simmons wants in.
The media mogul is reportedly readying a reboot of his ‘Def Poetry Jam’ series for HBO and has his sights set on Chance The Rapper to host.
If a go, the updated show would be titled ‘All Def Poetry.’
The original ‘Def Poetry Jam’ was a spoken word poetry series hosted by Mos Def on HBO; it ran from 2002-2007.
As Deadline notes, it was an off-shoot of Simmons’ classic ‘Def Comedy Jam’ which aired 1992-97 – also on HBO. Recently rebooted (as ‘All Def Comedy’), the initial incarnation of the series launched the mainstream careers of talent such as Martin Lawrence, Chris Tucker, Bernie Mac, and Steve Harvey.
The first run of ‘Def Poetry’ earned a Tony, a Peabody, and an NAACP Image honor. So, any such revival has a firm foundation to build on.
Jaden Smith‘s discography has welcomed a new edition to its growing family.
The name of his latest cut? ‘Watch Me’, penned as part of his exciting partnership with Roc Nation and his bid to permeate Pop culture as a bonafide multi-hyphenate star.
Just tell your man that it’s all in the pelvis / Watch me, watch me, watch me do this / Since 2012 I’ve been the coolest / If you do not get it, my ni**a, you foolish.
Intrigued by his union with the Roc?
Here’s what he had to say about it.
The collaboration between Roc Nation and MSFTS Music is empowering for the youth and flat out legendary. Having the support of Roc Nation to get our music to the masses and change culture is a dream come true and a blessing. For My Republic I Stand MSFTS Over All, Thank You.
Beyonce makes stage slayage look easy and now she’s doing the same with her post-pregnancy snapback.
Queen Bey made headlines when she gave birth to twins Rumi and Sir Carter exactly one month ago and broke the internet today when sharing the first snaps of the babies.
While doing so, it turns out she was also making her first public appearance.
Looking like a snack, the singer attended rapper Vic Mensa‘s album listening event in Los Angeles with hubby JAY-Z.
Tyler Perry has achieved a wealth of success marching to the beat of his own drum; and now, as he gears up for the next chapter of his career, he’s teaming with Viacom for an unprecedented content partnership.
According to THR, the multi-year deal covers TV, film and short-form video projects, including producing approximately 90 episodes annually of original drama and comedy series for BET and other Viacom networks. The media juggernaut will have exclusive licensing rights on Perry programming and exclusive distribution rights to his short-form video content (sitcoms et al).
On the movie front, the Viacom owned Paramount will have exclusive “first look” rights on any and all new film concepts from Perry.
The film facet of the deal is effective immediately (and will include the ‘Madea‘ franchise), while the TV side of things goes into effect in May 2019, after the expiry of Perry’s exclusive agreement with Oprah Winfrey’s OWN – home of a number of his shows including ‘The Haves & Have Nots.’
Speaking on the deal, Perry said in a statement:
“Viacom has a rich tradition of reaching my audience through their TV, film and digital platforms and I am excited to partner with them. I am eager to have one home where I can leverage all of their assets to tell my stories to an even wider audience. I have been very blessed to have worked with the incredible people at Lionsgate and OWN over the last few years and I look forward to continuing my work with them on a non-exclusive basis.”
Congratulations!
This is a huge look and will see Perry harness the collective clout of Viacom film and TV divisions (which include BET, MTV, and Comedy Central) to broaden his reach.
Azealia Banks‘ new interview with ‘XXL’ has set many a pulse racing today thanks to her bold and brave criticism of the music industry.
On being shut out of the game?
I’m definitely shut out from where I was, 100 percent. People are very scared to be associated with me because of, you know, the controversy, I guess the skin bleaching or the “sand nigger” or the “faggot” thing. I’m not sad about it, I’m not disappointed at the situation. I’m disappointed with myself for sure. I’m a little disappointed in them, but not really.
I guess the source of my disappointment comes from just watching lots of other men in hip-hop, just like male rappers, have their career setbacks and go through things. Or even when a Black male rapper misspeaks something… just seeing Black men go through the motions, seeing the Black mass just kind of seemingly accepting it as just an attribute of their artistry. So they’ll be like, “Kanye West is saying all that because he’s crazy” or “Okay, yeah, R. Kelly raped a girl but damn, he makes some good music.” I don’t feel like I ever got that kind of empathy. I never got those kinds of privileges, I never got those kinds of allowances, especially coming in the rap game without any real rap friends. I basically came in the building by myself. There was nobody to validate me, there was nobody to vouch for me or whatever, and I got mishandled a lot.
It made me really bitter for a very long time, very, very, very bitter, so bitter to the point that I would just kind of say things that I didn’t mean, like, “I hate Black men” and shit like that. I would just say things like that because I would just feel so misunderstood. It was all purposeful, like when T.I. was threatening me with physical violence or when Jim Jones was threatening me with physical violence. Come on, hip-hop should have said something about it, and nobody said anything about it.
Even now, you guys have this guy XXXTentacion on the [XXL] Freshman cover, but he’s tweeted about how he thinks Black women are roaches and that we should die and how dark people are roaches and we should die and shit like that. It’s discouraging, and I’m not afraid to cry about it or afraid to admit that it hurts me now, rather than just going about things the wrong way and trying to fight fire with fire.
On her feelings towards Remy Ma, Cardi B and Nicki Minaj?
I really, really like Cardi B. I followed Cardi B on Instagram before she started rapping and I was like, Oh my God, this girl just reminds me of all the girls I went to middle school with, all the girls I grew up on the block with, all the Dominican babysitters. I grew up with girls just like Cardi B. So I always thought she was funny, and when she started rapping, I was like… what is she doing? Then I heard “Foreva”and I was like, Okay, this is really fucking good, she’s not playing. Then I heard a couple other songs and I was like, Oh shit, Cardi’s not playing! And now I’m a fan of Cardi B’s music and her personality.
I like Remy Ma too, I like when her whole brand isn’t anti-Nicki. I think she gets a little carried away with that. I don’t know, maybe I like Cardi and Remy just because they sound like home. Like I know that girl, that uptown, Manhattan, Bronx girl. I think that’s why I like them the most.
On how systemic racism affects the industry?
The media itself ’cause clearly, everything is owned by White people—I’m tired of talking about White people. These media conglomerates have this socioeconomic leverage, and they can orchestrate any industry, and any story or any happening the way they want to. The music industry isn’t the only one that’s subjected to it. Hollywood is subjected to it, tech world, everybody. It’s just the media in general. I feel like it’s everyone’s biggest problem.
Even for people who are succeeding at playing the media game. They’re always crying about how they feel stifled and all that other shit. I think in the coming years, [the media] is gonna prove to be very detrimental to society’s social and psychological health.
I think the media does a lot to chastise people into… or just micro-manage people’s aggressions and chastise people into forming opinions. Especially in America, where the media is such a big part of our culture. Because we really drag ourselves down into Prozac nation on fucking steroids. But nobody cares, I’m just the Black bitch from fucking Harlem [laughs].
I’m just a Black bitch from Harlem who only puts out one song a year. I’m joking.
Sevyn Streeter has revealed that she has overcome bouts of depression and suicidal thoughts as sales of her new LP ‘Girl Disrupted’ rise on digital outlets.
I dealt with depression on a very serious level for like a year-and-a-half, and I never said anything to my fans. Obviously, my mom and my dad and my brother, a few family members, knew about it — but it was really, really hard. I wanted to kill myself, I really did. And through my family, and God and prayer, it turned around.
Stifled by the pressures of achieving success before 30, the vocalist now finds herself on a brighter path thanks to the power of God.
A lot of my depression was triggered by the fact that I’ve given my life to this music, and it’s in a good place, but it’s not exactly where I want it to be. I sacrificed a lot of my childhood for music, I sacrificed a lot of my love life for music.
If something’s making you unhappy, what can you do to change it? That went for people in my life, circumstances and situations — whether it was dealing with work, or dealing with men. I had people in my life that were bringing me more sadness than joy. … I was finally like, it’s not my fault if you wake up on the wrong side of the bed today, but guess what, I don’t need you to change. These are grown people, and so am I. Nobody’s making me deal with anybody that I don’t want deal with, so I made the decision to remove myself from certain situations and certain people that made me feel … heavy.
