Archive
ISLAND DEF JAM AXE STAFF AND EXPAND ‘CREATIVE TEAMS’
Via Allhiphop.com
Legendary hip-hop label Def Jam went through serious downsizing last week, when over 20 employees were laid off.
Over twenty staffers, along with industry executives Jonathan McHugh and Chris Hicks were dismissed from the Island Def Jam/Motown record labels. According to reports, McHugh and Hicks will continue to do consulting work for the label and other companies.
The news of layoffs come almost a month after Island Def Jam CEO Barry Weiss denied a report by TheWrap, which stated the legendary label was ailing. Continue Reading…..
Oh dear….
If they were honest they would admit that the label has been “ailing” for sometime and ‘allegedly’ in serious debt.
UK MUSIC: N-DUBZ – BEST BEHAVIOUR
N-Dubz’s new single Best Behaviour will be released on the 17th October.
Def Jam executives are probably hoping that this track will successfully break the group in to the US market. I personally don’t see that happening, but it will be a huge hit here.
The video – Yeah the label spent some money.
Your thoughts please. Hit or Miss?
VIDEO: VH1′S BEHIND THE MUSIC – DMX
Every up and coming artist should watch this.
Sad….
UK MUSIC NEWS: N-DUBZ MISS US LABEL TALKS BECAUSE OF SNOW
L-R Fazar, Tulisa and Dappy
According to Digital Spy UK ”super” group N-Dubz were forced to cancel a showcase for Def Jam Records in New York, after their flight was cancelled thanks to severe weather conditions.
The group was supposed to meet label head LA Reid last Thursday, but blizzard conditions in New York prevented their flight from departing London.
N- Dubz showcasing their music for Def Jam Records. Def Jam Records, once home to some of the greatest Hip Hop artists ever.
It’s tragic.
Is this what it’s come to Def Jam?
RUSSELL SIMMONS IS ANGRY AND HURT!
An article published in The NY Post has managed to get under Russell “fact finder” Simmons skin, and now the obnoxious mogul wants the world to know that his “kids are off limits!”
Via Global Grind
This week I have been in the gossip columns a lot…for throwing a diva fit at a Charlotte Ronson show (which may have been a bit over stated, but to be above it I sent flowers anyway, which Kevin Leong (my main designer) thought I was crazy to do ,since he was there and saw first that I “didn’t do sh*t outta line.” Then I was called out for being at a Diane Von Furstenberg show in “full make up.” Okay, that one made me laugh, since I never even went there, but I love Diane and I’m sorry I missed it! LOL.
And then came the blurb in the NY Post that dug a hole. The Post managed to do what the others didn’t…they got under my skin, found a raw nerve, hit it and actually hurt me. They reported that my beautiful daughters, after their mother’s fashion show, “went straight up to Djimon Hounsou and gave him a hug, bypassing biological dad Russell.”
I’m sorry but targeting my family, my kids who I love so very much and trying to suggest there is some underlying jealousy, favoritism or lack of love between my kids and I or any of that is low and extra dirty.
Poor Poor Russell. How dare The NY Post cause him so much pain! HOW DARE THEY!!!!
Don’t worry Russ it will be OK. Just get in to one of your yoga positions and breathe………… just breathe……….
SINGER/SONGWRITER THE DREAM NOW THE NEW EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF ISLAND/DEF JAM RECORDS
The Dream with fiancee Christina Milian
Singer/song writer The Dream ( Terius Nash) has announced via his Twitter page that he is to become the new Executive Vice President of Island/Def Jam Records.
Yes its true, labels are just giving executive positions to any and everybody now.
Check out The Dream’s announcement via Twitter
I wanna Thank everyone at Island Records/Def Jam for their faith in me and making me Executive Vice President of Island Records. Thank you to my team. my manager Mark Stewart & my attorney Aaron Rosenberg for getting this 1st step of a goal accomplished. Thanks to Judy. Thank you to my partner Tricky Stewart and the RadioKilla & RedZone Staff. LA Reid, Karen Kwak, Steve Bartels, Joe Barino Steve Gotlieb and Thank you, Universal Chairman, Doug Morris.
I look forward to the challenge of rebuilding music for not only Island Records, But for Universal Records as a whole. Today I’m humbled and blessed. Oh yeah thank you Christina for your wonderful belief in me i love you! also i want to thank the entire Nash family and Milian family for the Super Support you Give! This doesnt mean i have extra money it means i have extra bills
So he’s written hit records and can just about hold a note! But is he a good businessman?
Anyway I wish him the best of luck. Lord knows he’s going to need it!
UPDATE: I have just been informed that Island has now given his fiancee/singer Christina Milian the role of Office Manager.
RUSSELL SIMMONS HOSPITALIZED
Russell Simmons
At first I thought that Russell had finally succeeded in completely disappearing up his own backside which then led to his hospitalization. But it turns out the problem is with his hand.
Russell Simmons has been admitted to Mount Sinai hospital in NYC.Russell has been Tweeting about having problems with his hand. His hand is swollen and he said he’s in extreme pain:
“Damn. This shi. Hurts. I wanna cut my arm off, it would hurt less.”
It seems he has a very bad infection in his hand. He’ll probably be in the hospital for three days. Source
Russell is now at home recuperating and twittering with an ailing hand.
LL Cool J paid him and visit and actor Djimon Honsou had dinner with him.
Russell just LOVES to name drop!
Anyway click here to read more of Russell’s fascinating entries.
Oh, get well soon Russ!
VIDEO: DAMON DASH VS DEF JAM (2003)
This footage is taken from the newly released Documentary DVD ‘Choke No Joke’ .
Watch Bruk Pocket chew out Def Jam staff (lol).
But you know what kills me the most.. none of the staff sitting around the table tries to defend themselves…..
Ok so he had a point, why were they holding a meeting about Jay-Z without informing him first?
But the shouting and threatening behaviour?
Oh Brukkers…… smh…
lol
RUSSELL SIMMONS PUTS CHILD SUPPORT RUMOURS TO REST / LOYAL EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT SPEAKS ON BEHALF OF RUSSELL
Russell Simmons
Pregnant Kimora Lee with partner Djimon Hounsou
In June of last year it was reported that mogul Russell “fact finder” Simmons, had agreed to pay his ex-wife Kimora Lee, $40,000 in child support for their two daughters Aoki and Ming.
For some reason the story resurfaced again today and has forced Simmons to respond to the rumours via his blog on GlobalGrind.com
He wrote….
I am reading these stories today about how a judge ordered me to pay Kimora $40,000 a month in child support and I want to make something very clear. Nothing was ordered, it was given. My kids have a fabulous life; they are exposed to a broad range of artistic and scholastic educational programs and I’m very happy to contribute to that. As long as I have it, they can have it. If I ever don’t have it, I’m coming to live with them!
Then Russell’s loyal Executive Assistant decided to leave a comment under Russell’s blog post.
She wrote…
This is Simone, Russell’s long time Executive Assistant. I typically do not comment on every story but this one that has been circulating today needs some clarification. Yes, it is stipulated that Russell’s girls have security while with Russell..they require security all the time to give their parents piece of mind. It is not singular to just time spent with their father. Comments on Perez and other sites have some really outlandish thoughts related to this and why security is required. Basically, its safety for the girls from strangers, not from their own family. Its really outrageous that anyone would imply anything different. As far as the 40k number, well, Russell wants his girls to have the best. Isn’t that what we all want for our children? He is happy to earn money to pay for them to live a fabulous life and that is really his and Kimora’s business.
Kimora and Russell maintain a healthy relationship for the sake of their children and genuine love for each other. As far as any whispers about Djimon Hounsou and Russell’s feelings about him, there is no scandal there either. He thinks Djimon is a wonderful addition to the family and is grateful his girls have a great relationship with him.
I hope that in the future people don’t assume the worst when the truth may not be as interesting, but at least its good news. And the world needs more of that.
Go Vegetarian/Vegan for the sake of the animals and the Earth.
Simone.
I want to thank both for breaking down this situation to the masses, and for putting a few things straight, because the rumours about Russell had been keeping me up at nights…..
Forget about the state of the economy, the wars in Iraq/Afghanistan, the suffering and poverty that continues to blight parts of the world. No! It was the Simmons clan who consumed my every waking thought!
Now I just hope and pray that like myself, the WORLD can now breathe a collective sigh of relief, safe in the knowledge that Russell is NOT being forced to hand over $40,000 in child support, and that he is able to expose his daughters to a broad range of artistic and scholastic educational programs. Unlike the common man……
It also warms my heart to know that Russell has a wonderful relationship with actor Djimon Hounsou.
Again.. thank you Simone and Russell for taking time out of your busy schedules to clear up the rumours.
I think we have ALL learned a valuable lesson here!
(Rolls eyes and kisses teeth)
*Huge Sigh* Now.. did we really need to know all that?
And somebody really needs to lay off the arse kissing.
THROWBACK SCENE OF THE DAY: DAMON DASH BLASTS FORMER PRESIDENT OF DEF JAM RECORDS KEVIN LILES (‘BACKSTAGE – THE HARD KNOCK LIFE TOUR DVD)
‘Backstage: The Hard Knock Life Tour’ chronicled Jay-Z’s 1999 ‘Hard Knock Life’ tour, which was the highest grossing Hip Hop tour to date during that period of time.
The documentary also included footage of DMX, Ja Rule, Irv Gotti, Method Man and Red Man and a behind the scenes look at what went in to organising the tour.
One of my favourite scenes from the documentary involves ole Bruk Pocket (Damon Dash) and the then President of Def Jam Records Kevin Liles.
Bruk Pocket rants and raves about tour jackets (in front of his then young son) while Kevin attempts to appease him but fails miserably.
Check it out…. lol…..
Kevin had the power to request that this scene be edited out of the final cut, but he decided to keep it in which shocked many. He was happy to showcase Dame’s ignorance.
In 2009 Kevin Liles is Executive Vice President of the Warner Music Group and Dame’s been pushed in to no man’s land.
I’m sure that if they really wanted to Kevin or Warner Music Group Chairman/CEO Lyor Cohen could throw Dame a life line by offering him an executive position (L.A Reid did it for Jermaine Dupri).
But I guess some people have really long memories……
