
2 unreleased Beyonce songs has taken a leak... I'm just sayin'...
Chiiile, not today!
In early September, AEG Chairman Richard Mays approached Jay-Z through his business partners and asked whether he would be interested in joining the consortium -- which at the time ranked last among six bidders seeking the lucrative project. . .
"[NY Governor] Paterson directly told [Las Vegas businessman Steve] Wynn he needed to have a minority partner, so he went and got Jay-Z. But when Wynn pulled out, Jay-Z was without a home," a source told The Post.
"AEG went and grabbed Jay-Z after his deal with Steve Wynn fell through." AEG jumped at the chance to recruit Jay-Z, who has become increasingly close to Paterson, sources said. The two dined together in June and hung out in the Hamptons.
"Im sorry but i'm having another kanye rant moment. My sister BROKE THE RECORD for the MOST GRAMMY'S IN ONE NIGHT BY ANY FEMALE so why do i KEEP seeing "other artist" as the Nights "big winner"....(*kanye shrug here) ???? Wowzers 2 some responses. Good darnit......im glad folks agree. Ok. On to the next one:)" (Solange Knowles' Twitter)
In what has to be one of the more bizarre copyright disputes, the underwear manufacturer Triumph sued Sony because Beyoncé was wearing copyright infringing underwear in her music video “Video Phone”. Seriously.
The design in question by Bulgarian designer Iskren Lozanov is shown on the right, the music video below (the infringement occurs at about 0.50′). This week, the 7th Civil Chamber of the Landgericht Munich upheld an ex parte injunction barring Sony from distributing the “Video Phone” clip in Germany.
Triumph argued Beyoncé was wearing an unauthorized reproduction of the Iskren Lozanov design. Sony countered that both designs were inspired by Picasso, but otherwise, there were few similarities. The slips, in particular, were wholly different. The judge disagreed: the Lozanov design was highly original and enjoyed a wide scope of protection, and was therefore infringed by the underwear worn by Beyoncé.
Sony’s lawyer announced that, after consultation with Beyoncé, he would most likely appeal the decision.
Shawn Carter, the rap music artist and Rocawear clothing business founder known as Jay-Z, sued the investment firm Highland Capital Management LP in a dispute over loan guarantees.
Carter, in his complaint filed yesterday in federal court in New York, claims Highland and co-defendant NexBank SSB are attempting to “bleed” from him funds in excess of those he and two other men pledged to pay when they guaranteed the non- principal obligations of a company planning to build a hotel in Manhattan’s west side neighborhood of Chelsea
he rap star is seeking a declaratory judgment that he has met those obligations. He’s also seeking damages of more than $3.7 million for the additional interest and other costs incurred while still being held liable under the agreements.
“In August 2007, a company controlled by Mr. Carter borrowed $52 million as a loan to purchase Manhattan property for a future boutique hotel,” Nina Devlin, a Highland spokeswoman, said in an e-mailed statement yesterday.
The loan, held by funds managed by Highland, matured in August and is in default, Devlin said.
“Highland Capital Management believes the claims asserted by Mr. Carter are meritless and will vigorously defend itself and intends to pursue the obligations owed to Highland’s investors,” she said.
MITCHELL: Sometimes his passions ruin him.
JAY-Z: Yeah, which is great. I like that, man! I really do. I mean, no one’s walking around here perfect. Everyone’s gonna make mistakes. That’s part of how you learn. I think Kanye . . . Well, I know he said what he believed. He was telling the truth.
MITCHELL: To which event are you referring?
JAY-Z: I’m talking about the Taylor Swift thing. I just think the timing of what he did was wrong, and that, of course, overshadowed everything. He believed that “Single Ladies” [by Jay-Z’s wife, Beyoncé] was a better video. I believed that. I think a lot of people believed that. You can’t give someone Video of the Year if they don’t win Best Female Video. I thought Best Female Video was something you won on the way to Video of the Year. But, hey, I guess it wasn’t—and that’s a whole other conversation about awards shows and artists.
MITCHELL: You’ve always had interesting takes on awards shows. I remember back in the day, you talked about the Grammys and said, “Well, they don’t take rap seriously, so why should I go? They don’t know what we do—and they don’t care about what we do.”
JAY-Z: It’s just honest, man—they really didn’t. I’ve always seen awards shows for what they are. For the awards show people, it’s about sponsorships—it’s not about recognizing anyone’s art, because if you get into the business of recognizing art, then you have to get it right all the time. You have to get it right. You can’t have the woman who wins Video of the Year not win Best Female Video. I mean, Herbie Hancock
is great, but you can’t have him beat the Kanye album that year. I mean, come on, seriously. That can’t happen. That just lets me know that the people who get to pick these ballots just check the only name they know. I think that’s what’s happening with rap music now.
MITCHELL: Yeah?
JAY-Z: I think it’s a bunch of people who don’t know anything about rap, and have probably never even heard a Kanye West album, are doing the nominating, and they say, “Kanye West. I know that name. That’s the guy who made the comments about the president that time! He’s nominated!” That’s how the process works, and I think that’s part of Kanye’s frustration. Me, I look at it for what it is. But Kanye is so passionate about it. I mean, the guy shot three “Jesus Walks” videos. Three. Two of them he shot with his own money just so he could get it right. He really cares about it. And then, back to the original point, his passion kicks in and he takes things too far . . . He doesn’t realize that that girl, Taylor Swift, is just like him. That was her moment. It wasn’t her fault. She didn’t do anything. It’s not her awards show. So he just did the wrong thing to the wrong person at the wrong time.
1. So what has Michelle Williams been doing since the release of her last album UnExpected?
Of course I’m still working on new music. I spent the entire summer in London doing Chicago, and I will be back on Broadway in February doing the same thing. I have about two weeks of rehearsal because I believe there are a little differences in the New York show and the London show. I think 2 weeks is enough to make sure it’s still in my blood, I did it in Morocco for New Years and it was pretty much still there (laughs).
2. I have the record, and I myself was sure that the album would be a huge success with songs such as “Hello HeartBreak”, “The Greatest”, “Private Party”, and so on. Were you surprised with the lack of sales?
I was surprised. I was very excited that it garnered positive reception even from publications that I would have never thought would have given me the great reviews that they gave me. However, I was disappointed in the sales and disappointed that people still didn’t know it was out. But that’s why you keep going and let people be aware of you, so that’s what 2010 is all about.
3. Were you targeting a certain audience, specifically a gay audience with the techno beats and pop sound?
Actually I wasn’t. Now you know Rico Love and you know Rico Love was not sitting in the studio snapping his fingers saying this one right here we gonna do it for the kids (laughs). We just knew that there was this Euro crave going on, or something that we could tap in to, so that’s how we started making the music. You know, I do music for everybody, gay/straight, black white. There were a lot of the toughest guys that really loved “Hello Heartbreak”.
4. Do you have any plans for a re-release of that album?
There were plans for a re-release and there were plans for Europe to do a proper release, however I am just as stunned as everybody else that it didn’t take place. No reason why, it just didn’t happen.
5. With your next album, will you return to gospel or continue in the pop genre?
It will be the same as UNEXPECTED as far as the vibe I was going for. I think that I might add a couple more live musical elements, but I think I was on to something great. But who knows, maybe after that I will return to my gospel roots. I’m blessed to have two musical genres that I can fall back on.
6. Have you started on the new album yet?
I have started, my blackberry is full of concepts and the people that I would like to work with (laughs). I have dibbled and dabbled in the studio and laid down some demos, and who knows, those demos may be songs that go on my next album.
7. How did you feel about some of the critics opinions when you decided to do a pop album versus gospel?
It was crazy because the masses or majority of the world knew me as Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child and we were an R&B, pop group. It was like what did I go back to, what did I neglect. Both world’s can be very protective of their artist, and in the gospel world they want to keep their music “purer”. People have to realize most of got out start in the church as little children. But I have people that will still support me regardless of which genre I do.
8. Now we know that you started out as a backup singer for Monica, when was the last time that you have spoken to her?
We have talked on the phone and texted each other. We have funny moments because I watch her show on BET and if I see something funny then I will text her about it. I’m very happy for her; she is really doing her thing. She’s an awesome mother now for 2 little boys. She has always been a very nurturing person and I’m really proud of her.
9. Now to Destinys Child, how did you get introduced to the girls?
Well at the time, one of Monica’s dancers was actually Destiny’s Child choreographer. She told DC about me and I got the phone call. Actually DC opened up for Monica while we were on tour. A lot of people don’t know this but when I would meet Destiny’s Child it would only be Beyonce and Kelly. I recently met Letoya for the first time about 2 or 3 years ago. I have never met Latavia, I don’t know of anything about her, other than what is put out in the media. But I would only meet Beyonce and Kelly, and when I got into the group I always wondered how weird that was that I would only have communications with B and Kelly. But when I flew to Houston I just sung a song for them and that was it. So I waited a couple days and then I got the phone call and the rest is history.
10. How did you guys feel when the group broke up? Did you guys cry?
Well for the Destiny Fulfilled tour we cried, but I think during the last show we were numb. I don’t think we even believed it until months later when we weren’t doing shows together. All of us dealt with that separation in our own way. I cried a lot, but then I was like why am I crying when I can pick up the phone and call them. But we still hang out when were in each others cities, or if we are all in LA at the same time. We still hold that love for each other so we know for sure that that love will always be there.
11. Will the group ever do another album together?
I really don’t know, I’m giving you the honest to God answer, I really don’t.
12. What do you think the music industry is lacking in right now?
I think that a lot of guys have fallen into doing things that aren’t them. But I think a lot of artist like Maxwell and Ledisi are good at being them. I think a lot of us are guilty of putting what we want to do on the backburner to do music that we think will sell. But when you really be you then that is when you will succeed. I believe Lady GaGa every time I see her perform. I know Lady GaGa so I know that she isn’t putting on an act. That is her both on and off the stage, she is a sweet girl. You will believe Lady GaGa when you see her, at least I know I do. So I think more and more artists have to believe in what we are doing.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 12, 2010
STATEMENT REGARDING GRAMMY-AWARD WINNING SINGER MICHELLE WILLIAMS DISSOLVING HER MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENT WITH MATHEW KNOWLES AND MUSIC WORLD ENTERTAINMENT
“After much prayer and consideration I have decided to part ways from my management team, Mathew Knowles and Music World Entertainment. From my time in Destiny’s Child to my solo career, I am grateful for everything Mathew and his team has done for me. We’ve shared great success together. However, as I move in a new direction in my career, I felt it was time. I wish Mathew Knowles and the Music World Entertainment family all the best.”