Rap veteran Uncle Luke recently gave his take on hip-hop stars Jay-Z and Eminem along with provided suggestions for what select rappers need to do to reach their level of achievement.
Luke feels Jay and Em clearly display their own unique prowess on each record they put out.
"H*ll, Forbes magazine just named Hova the highest-earning rap star. Others on the list include P. Diddy, Kanye, Lil Wayne, and Eminem, another guy I think is right up there with Jay-Z. Eminem raps his a** off on every album he's put out," Luke said in a blog posting. "In fact, aside from Jay-Z and Eminem, there are very few hip-hop artists who can really claim the title. In the '90s, you knew Tupac and Biggie Smalls were the absolute best in the game. Those guys dropped verse after verse without their buddies rapping on their tracks. Nowadays you have too many hip-hop male performers doing collaborations with guest rappers. A Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, or Drake album will almost always have some other artist showing up to rap every five minutes." (Miami New Times)
In Luke's mind, Rick Ross, Drake and Lil Wayne still need to prove they can stand on their own feet.
"Carol City native Ross has certainly evolved into a h*lluva lyricist. But he needs to do a song on his own that will stand the test of time like Biggie's "Juicy" or Tupac's "Dear Mama." The same can be said of Lil Wayne and Drake. I'd like to hear those two cats produce an album without a guest appearing on songs," Luke added. "Don't get me wrong -- Lil Wayne's lyrics are out of this world. But you can't just do one verse per song and then call yourself the greatest. That's bullsh*t...If Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, and Drake want to take that title from Jay-Z and Eminem, they need to carry albums on their own." (Miami New Times)
After Eminem got labeled the King of Hip-Hop by Rolling Stone magazine last month, rap veteran Cormega shared his input.
"Time and time again, Eminem has proven himself to be a force to be reckoned with," Cormega told Mikey T The Movie Star. "Eminem is an incredible artist. His last album, Recovery, was just proof of his power and his impact as an artist. It's not very often, rarely if ever or never, does an artist put out an album and that album comes back to the charts. His album was a strong seller and then other albums came out that were number one -- and then Eminem's album came back to the top charts. That's historical. People's albums don't do that. Eminem has proven himself to be one of the greatest rappers." (Mikey T The Movie Star)
Zack O'Malley Greenburg, Forbes staff writer and author of the Jay-Z biography "Empire State of Mind: How Jay-Z Went From Street Corner to Corner Office," said Jay has become the "gold standard" to which hip-hop artists aspire when it comes to mixing business and music. "I'd put Diddy and Birdman up there too, but Jay is always at the top of the Cash Kings list because he makes brilliant business moves but keeps putting out relevant music," he told MTV News. "OthE \
[on the list] are more one or the other, but he keeps doing both." (MTV
CNN) -- Jay-Z's sixth album, "The Blueprint," hit record stores on the fateful morning of September 11, 2001.
Despite the horrible coincidence, the New York rapper's album -- featuring the hit track "Izzo (H.O.V.A)" - sold more than 420,000 copies in the first week.
That's an impressive feat for any musician in a time of declining sales -- let alone while Americans were still reeling from the worst terror attack on U.S. soil in modern history. The album went on to sell more than 2 million copies, earning a multi-platinum certification, according to the Recording Industry Association of America, which tracks music sales.
So why did "The Blueprint" do so well amid the chaos of 9/11?
Music experts say that music sales that day and week were at least partially driven by a group of youthful consumers, who were somehow and incredulously untroubled -- or at least not paralyzed -- by the events of 9/11.
Jay Z.'s classic masterpiece "The Blueprint" the first installment of the classic trilogy of Blueprint albums by Jay Z. gave hiphop fans an escape from all that was taking place in our country at the time. Music has a way of defining moments in time historically. 9/11 and The Blueprint will live on forever embedded in modern folklore, I purchased the album on 9/11 and it became the soundtrack to what all took place that day and that year. One of the best hiphop albums ever made dropped the same day as the worst act of terrorism hit our beloved country and it still managed to sell over 425,000 units the first week on its way to over 2 million sold.
"Young people not directly affected are always more removed from the onset of national tragedy," said Tricia Rose, a professor at Brown University and author of "The Hip Hop Wars."
To be fair, Jay-Z's "The Blueprint" -- considered to be a masterpiece by many music reviewers -- was not a particularly socially conscious work.
A hodge-podge of musings on street life, the album's most endearing quality may be its soulful production (crafted in part by a then-young Kanye West), featuring music samples from the likes of David Bowie and the Doors.
A handful of other significant albums were also released on 9/11, including Bob Dylan's "Love and Theft" and Mariah Carey's "Glitter." But no one had record sales that approached what Jay-Z did that week.
Rose said a confluence of factors, not unlike the catalyst for 9/11 itself, help explain Jay-Z's sales that week.
"While the much older fans of Mariah Carey or Bob Dylan would likely be too busy and worried about terrorist attacks to rush out and purchase a CD the week of 9/11, Jay-Z's teen and early 20s fans, already hyped up about this release long beforehand, remained focused on their idol," Rose said. "And many probably never left the comfort of their bedrooms to download the release."
"The Blueprint" was heavily downloaded upon its release. Indeed, digital downloads took off in 2001 with the advent of iTunes earlier in the year.
Yet on September 11, 2001, people were still shopping in music stores in New York City -- even a short distance from the attacks. "There was a lot of confusion and definitely an unsettled feeling, but New York, at least this area, was still functioning," said Daniel Givens, a buyer for Other Music, a Brooklyn record store located about a mile from where the World Trade Center stood.
Givens was at work on September 11, 2001.
"There was a foreboding atmosphere about the day overall, but people were still trying to get to work, get to where they were going, they were still functioning," Givens said.
That ability to function, to keep going, is what no doubt kept the city and nation together during one of the darkest times in the nation's history. Food had to be purchased. Things had to be done. Even something as seemingly inconsequential as hot music, had to be listened to.
According to media professor Aaron Sachs another factor in the sales of "The Blueprint" is the type of audience that Jay-Z appeals to.
"Hip-hop heads (fans) have a different kind of relationship to music than fans of other genre," said Sachs, an assistant professor of media technologies and culture at St. Mary's College of California. "Hip-hop is not just music, it's a culture, and that mentality permeates many aspects of the lives of hip-hop heads."
Regardless of the circumstances or situation, Sachs says the hip-hop fan uses the music as a soundtrack to life in a way that goes beyond the relationship of a casual listener.
"Being a hip-hop head means purchasing albums no matter what else is going on in your life or the world, especially an album as hot and highly anticipated as 'The Blueprint' was," he said.
The rapper known as the "GAME" who burst onto the scene with a scorching classic debut album "The Documentary" Executive Produced by DR.DRE AND 50 Cent that went double platinum is selling 98,000 in his first weeks sales of his new album "RED" that earned him the Number 1. slot atop the Billboard Charts.He barely beat out the throne album in its third week it did 95,000 and stands at 700,000 plus sold already. The GAME will be hard pressed to sale 700,000 units altogether with this album when its said and done. So what is it why only certain rappers like Jay Z,Kanye West,Eminem,LiL Wayne,Drake, and Nikki Minaj are going Platinum and everybody else are jocking to sale whatever it is they sale. They may even have big singles,big videos, and big buzzes behind them on the streets but its not equating to record sales like you think they are. As big of an artist as Rick Ross is right now he doesn't sell platinum inside the United States not even any of your Atlanta Rappers anymore the closest two are Ludacris and T.I. Only the true Superstar rappers with a cult-like following are moving major units even in an age where everything is digital. The Carter 1V will sale major units on top of units but it is not Waynes best work to date by far but he has a cult-like following right now that supports everything he does. 50 Cent no longer moves platinum units with his albums so what does that tell you about the state of the industry as far as hiphop sales are concerned. Its time for a new infusion of fresh against the grain content in the music business especially hiphop. To me Jay Z. and Eminem should do one more album a piece and gracefully bow out and retire from making albums not music.They have both had succesful runs especially Jay Z. 12 Number 1. albums on the billboard charts thats crazy unto itself. But artist like The GAME who hates on everybody but only moves under a 100,000 his first week sales need to do some self evaluating and look in the mirror cause where I come from with a name and ego as big as his thats a major flop. The label will never recoup their money off of his album by far. So is it safe to say "GAME OVER"??? SAFE TO SAY THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN AND ITS CRYSTAL CLEAR>>>>>
Grammy-winning artists Jay-Z and Beyonce continue to make headlines as of late, this time for earning the right to call themselves music's most powerful couple.
Based on estimates by financial publication Forbes, Hov and Bey's money-generating abilities land them atop their competition.
Music's most powerful couple, Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z hauled in some $72 million over the past year, making them No. 2 on our list. The Houston-born R&B diva pulled in $35 million, thanks mostly to business-focused deals such as a clothing line with Dereon and endorsement deals with L'Oreal, DirecTV, General Mills and others. As for Jay-Z, his earnings come from the 10-year $150 million Live Nation deal that he signed in 2008 and the cash he collects as a shareholder in New Jersey Nets, 40/40 Club chain and ad firm Translation. (Forbes)
The R&B/hip-hop duo raked in $72 million between May 2010 and May 2011, with Beyoncé netting $35 million thanks to her Deréon apparel line and her endorsement deals with DirectTV, General Mills, L'Oreal and others. Meanwhile, Jigga's earnings mostly came from his 10-year $150 million Live Nation deal, his 40/40 restaurant chain and his partial ownerships of the New Jersey Nets basketball team and ad firm Translation. Beyoncé earned a few more coins this week alone, as she finished out her residency of '4 Intimate Nights With Beyonce' concerts on Friday (Aug. 19) at New York's Roseland Ballroom. (Pop Crush)
There's definetely not another more successful couple in Music by far. They are both Multi-Platinum Superstar Artists with unbelievable business savvy and International and Social Influence across the globe.The duo have done just about everything together except make a complete album but they have several joint hit singles. Right now Beyonce's latest Opus stands at over 700,000 units sold in the first month and Jay Z. and Kanye West's MasterPiece "WATCH THE THRONE" has sold nearly 600,000 two weeks into release both projects no doubt will be certified platinum adding to their Superstar accomplishments. (THACHILL-ONE)
Jasiri X, the politically charged rapper, is back and he's taking a completely different twist on the Kanye West and Jay-Z hit "Otis." The Pittsburgh native rhymes over the song, but opts to trade bars as George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. A very interesting approach, X even takes a bit of time to defend President Obama as he shares his views on the Bushes. Check out "Bomb The Throne" with the lyrics listed after the video.
George H.W. Bush -I invented crack
the highest hit with them scientists in the lab
proof
not hard to find it
read Gary Webb's Dark Alliance
Truth
New terror alert Qaddafi
We tried to kill him in the 80s but were sloppy
Bombs hit his compound every wall was knock down
his infant daughter got found dead under a rock pile
George W. Bush -Damn W Bush where the hell you been?
Obama's getting blamed for all of ya failures kid
Left trillions in debt they acting like I never did
Kanye even apologized now we're hella friends
They say I'm stupid but I was dumb before
but they so crazy they forgot about my other war
and they don't even mention my other other war
Almost destroyed America they still love me more
George H.W. Bush -Skull and Bones fresh
bomb you with the stealth
I'm bout to call the CIA on my self
I was the first ta
go after Saddam Hussein I tried to murk ya
bombed Iraq with those missiles air to surface
so we would have cheap oil for us to purchase
Iran contra no need for bail
I pardoned everybody they never going to jail
George W. Bush -A born again Christian I'm never going to hell
my book about decisions is never going to sale
300 pages of crap it's better in the shredder
I made history the worst president ever
I'm in Crawford with the golfers
cause of my cuts there's just no job offers
now everybody in they house getting foreclosed
I'm done I'll hit you ya tomorrow
George H.W. Bush -Welcome to Panama
Sent troops to get Noriega I am the law
he had pedico in kilos
we bought it from him that's how come that we know
4000 dead it makes no difference
nobody cares cause it's just less immigrants
no coincidence my son went from governor
to president leaving a debt so big we can't get under from
George W. Bush -Can't you see commercial jets flying over you
for seven minutes I froze like what the hell Imma do
put my Arab friends on planes with no kinda proof
even though they said the highjackers were Saudi too
Then I let Osama escape like the hell with it
so I could invade Iraq with fake intelligence
and over 6,000 troops died
but hey keep being mad at the new guy
Jay Z and Kanye West are the co-rulers of the hip-hop nation this week, as their Roc-a-Fella/Roc Nation album, Watch the Throne, debuts at #1 with 426k in sales, including a record 290k digital downThe album sold nearly 290,000 downloads through Sunday night, breaking the previous record-holder set by Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" in 2008.
Sources say Jay-Z and Kanye West's Watch the Throne broke the U.S. iTunes Store's one-week sales record last week when it sold nearly 290,000 downloads via the retailer through Sunday night.
loads at iTunes. What they didn't realize was the months of near-military-scale planning required to keep the album under wraps.
Taking C.I.A.-like precautions to ensure that the album was released on their own terms, the duo successfully staved off hackers with a leak-proof strategy -- an anomaly for an industry consistently brought to its knees by web-savvy individuals eager to share unreleased material with the world.
"It was really important to [Jay] that people experienced this album in its entirety when they first listened to it," says a Roc Nation executive, who asked to remain anonymous. "That was really the driving force of it, to create that nostalgic moment of unwrapping the CD and listening to it for the first time."
Conceived during three iterations in Australia, New York City and Paris, Watch the Throne was kept secure by three core engineers -- Mike Dean, Anthony Kilhoffer and Noah Goldstein -- who disabled their computers' Wi-Fi at pop-up studios constructed in hotel rooms. Due to compromising hacker attempts for West's 2010 release My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, outside producers such as the RZA and Swizz Beatz were asked to appear in-person for works-in-progress -- no emailed song drafts were allowed.
To combat pre-release piracy, Kilhoffer, Grammy Award-winner for West's Graduation and John Legend's Get Lifted, claims that all sessions were saved offsite to hard drives in Goldstein's locked Pelican briefcase over the course of nine months. "Everywhere we went in hotels, we were locking hard drives and Noah took them with him," says Kilhoffer, who now travels with external memory units that can only be accessed by biometric fingerprints.
The technology, which Kilhoffer implements while traveling on West's current European tour, takes a live scan of one's finger to serve as key to access protected material. For less than $100, devices such as the Eikon Digital Privacy Manager and Zvetco Fingerprint Reader measure the finger's ridges and valleys with conductor plates, transmitting imprints through a USB cord to safeguard hard drive contents. While on the road, Kilhoffer and Dean are the sole gatekeepers to unlock the digital safes.
STORY: Jay-Z Tops Forbes' Hip-Hop Cash Kings List Again
Sent to a manufacturing plant days ahead of its digital unveiling on August 8, Watch the Throne was later shipped to major retail outlets like Best Buy, serviced with exclusive deluxe edition, in time for the album's physical release today. Only two New York City listening sessions -- one at the Mercer Hotel, the other at Hayden Planetarium -- invited the outside world to hear the completed work.
While Jay-Z and Kanye West managed to record one of hip-hop's most hotly anticipated albums without compromise, some label executives agree that the method could set an example for an industry still struggling to adapt to the digital renaissance.
"I think there are a lot of people looking at this and saying, 'Wow, maybe these guys are onto something. That might be the way to go,'" says the Roc Nation executive. "I'd be surprised if many other artists don't use this strategy as well."
The album, a collaboration between hip-hop superstars Jay-Z and Kanye West, shot to No. 1 on iTunes album sales charts on its first day of release Monday.
The project took Apple's digital music store crown in the U.S. and 22 other countries including Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, the U.K. and multiple European territories.
Watch the Throne bowed exclusively on iTunes at midnight in standard and deluxe forms, and will be released in stores Aug. 12. The deluxe version is exclusive to Best Buy for a limited time. The Apple/Best Buy release was criticized by a number of independent retailers who said the duo was employing a "short sighted strategy" by leaving them out of the equation.
Beyonce, RZA, and Q-Tip are among the contributors to the project, which the rappers will support on tour beginning in Atlanta on Oct. 29.
Watch the Throne has received generally positive reviews thus far: All Hip Hop’s JP DelaCuesta and Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur wrote, “Most people tend to love or loathe Mr. West and Mr. Carter with very few gradients of gray. Watch the Throne is the most ambitious effort the pair have joined forces on and the world awaits to hear it. The dynamic duo do not disappoint.” Billboard’s The Juice described the sound as “filthy rhymes over sumptuous soundscapes” in a track-by-track review.
1. "No Church in the Wild:" The Throne give a taste of sex, drugs & hip-hop. "Last night was mad real," Kanye raps. The-Dream sneaks in mid-way with auto-tuned vocals.
2. "Lift Off:" Although it feels misplaced in between tracks 1 and 3, the "stadium status" track is one to look forward to in seeing performed on the WTT tour.
3. "Ni**gas in Paris:" Kanye steals the show on the Hit-Boy produced club anthem. A snippet of Will Ferrell's line from "Blades of Glory" is tucked in between.
4. "Otis:" Jay-Z & Kanye West spit dirty rhymes on champagne living, a theme through out the album ("Ni**as in Paris"), over an Otis Redding classic.
5. "Gotta Have It:" The Neptunes revamp James Brown's "People Get Up and Drive Your Funky Soul" for Throne to brag on and shout out hometowns. "Racks" reference.
6. "New Day:" The Throne rhyme what they will and will not do to better raise their unborn sons. Ye recalls his doings and Jay won't let history repeat itself.
7. "That's My B**ch:" Similar to the leaked version, only Jay adds brown skinned actresses into the mix. Ye: "About to go dumb, how come? yeah, that's my b**ch."
8. "Welcome to the Jungle:" Kanye and Jay-Z shed light to the darkness of their lifestyle. Swizz Beatz production reminds me of Diddy's "All About the Benjamins."
9. "Who Gon Stop Me:" The Throne throw the middle finger to haters and hardships of the past. "Til I die/ I'mma f***in ball," West raps. Perfect song for wildin'.
10. "Murder to Excellence:" The Throne speak on black on black murder. Ye' compares Chi-town's murder rate to Iraq's. "Cause ain't nothin on the news but the blues."
11. "Made in America:" Frank Ocean's soulful vocals that soothe start and close the cut. Jay and Kanye rhyme on their "come up" over Shame "Sak Pase" Joseph beat.
12. "Why I Love You:" Jay-Z goes off on those who, though once close, turned away or against him. "But I'm bullet proof, b**ch you can't get nothin' past me." #shots
Street-Wize Unkutt Gives The Album 4****Out Of Five Stars....A superior release definetely one of the best complete projects this year.......
http://vevo.ly/n72AXB
One year after the idea was conceived, Kanye West and Jay-Z deliver one of the year's most anticipated albums, "Watch the Throne," today (August 8). At 12 a.m. EST, hip-hop fans turned to iTunes, instead of a Hulkshare page, to download The Throne's collaborative album.
Within an hour, lyrics of "Watch the Throne" flooded timelines and song titles ("Murder of Excellence," "New Day," "Lift Off," and "Made in America") began to trend worldwide. Not only did Kanye and Jay-Z fight and win against the big leak, but they brought a nostalgic vibe by keeping fans waiting to press download.
'Watch The Throne': Jay-Z and Kanye West's 10 Best Collaborations
From the Mercer Hotel in NYC to Australia, Kanye West and Jay-Z lace filthy rhymes over sumptuous soundscapes, this time as one, calling forth producers such as Swizz Beatz, RZA, Hit-Boy, No I.D. and the vocal prowess of Frank Ocean, Beyoncé, La Roux and more.
Which "Watch the Throne" track finds Kanye West and Jay-Z at the top of their game? Here's our Twitter-length track-by-track review of each song.
You be the judge: What do you think of Jay-Z and Kanye West's "Watch the Throne" album? Tweet us your own review at @billboarddotcom (using hashtag #bbwtt). The best tweets will be posted on Billboard.com in the coming days.
Jay-Z and Kanye West: A Bromance Timeline
1. "No Church in the Wild:" The Throne give a taste of sex, drugs & hip-hop. "Last night was mad real," Kanye raps. The-Dream sneaks in mid-way with auto-tuned vocals.
2. "Lift Off:" Although it feels misplaced in between tracks 1 and 3, the "stadium status" track is one to look forward to in seeing performed on the WTT tour.
Kanye West & Jay-Z Hold 'Watch the Throne' Listening Party at Planetarium
3. "Ni**gas in Paris:" Kanye steals the show on the Hit-Boy produced club anthem. A snippet of Will Ferrell's line from "Blades of Glory" is tucked in between.
4. "Otis:" Jay-Z & Kanye West spit dirty rhymes on champagne living, a theme through out the album ("Ni**as in Paris"), over an Otis Redding classic.
5. "Gotta Have It:" The Neptunes revamp James Brown's "People Get Up and Drive Your Funky Soul" for Throne to brag on and shout out hometowns. "Racks" reference.
6. "New Day:" The Throne rhyme what they will and will not do to better raise their unborn sons. Ye recalls his doings and Jay won't let history repeat itself.
7. "That's My B**ch:" Similar to the leaked version, only Jay adds brown skinned actresses into the mix. Ye: "About to go dumb, how come? yeah, that's my b**ch."
8. "Welcome to the Jungle:" Kanye and Jay-Z shed light to the darkness of their lifestyle. Swizz Beatz production reminds me of Diddy's "All About the Benjamins."
9. "Who Gon Stop Me:" The Throne throw the middle finger to haters and hardships of the past. "Til I die/ I'mma f***in ball," West raps. Perfect song for wildin'.
10. "Murder to Excellence:" The Throne speak on black on black murder. Ye' compares Chi-town's murder rate to Iraq's. "Cause ain't nothin on the news but the blues."
11. "Made in America:" Frank Ocean's soulful vocals that soothe start and close the cut. Jay and Kanye rhyme on their "come up" over Shame "Sak Pase" Joseph beat.
12. "Why I Love You:" Jay-Z goes off on those who, though once close, turned away or against him. "But I'm bullet proof, b**ch you can't get nothin' past me." #shots
This effort finds both of the hiphop titans at the top of their game as if they had something to prove as when jordan came back after the first retirement and won three more championships. The album is ridiculous, its hiphop not just a bunch of songs thrown on a disk and packaged for sell. Jay and Kanye went all the way in on this project its clearly one of the best hiphop albums of 2011, excuse me the best hiphop album of 2011 so far by far
So Haters......Sit Back and "WATCH THE THRONE"
"In my fight against terrorism, to me, the biggest terrorist is Obama in the United States of America," Fiasco said in an interview. "For me, I'm trying to fight the terrorism that's actually causing the other forms of terrorism. The root cause of the terrorism is the stuff that you as a government allow to happen and the foreign policies that we have in place in different countries that inspire people to become terrorists. And it's easy for us because it's really just some oil, which we can really get on our own." (CBS News)
He also explained his reasons for opting not to vote in political elections.
"I don't vote. I don't get involved in the political process because it's meaningless, to be honest," Fiasco added. "I'm a real big believer if I'm gonna vouch for someone, then I'm gonna stand behind everything that they do...So politicians aren't gonna do that because I don't want you to bomb some village in the middle of nowhere." (CBS News)
Fiasco previously ruffled some feathers after name dropping President Obama on his "Words I Never Said" Lasers record.
It's one thing to have an opinion about the President, but to write negative "raps lyrics" about the President is ludicrous. Lupe Fiasco, a Muslim faithful, wrote in one of his songs: "Limbaugh is a racist, Glenn Beck is a racist, Gaza Strip was getting burned, Obama didn't say sh-t, That's why I ain't vote for him, next one either..." Some people alleged Lupe wrote the rhymes to spark media attention for his upcoming album. (Celeb Promoter)
It was recently announced that Lady Gaga's latest album "Born This Way" has sold more than 1.1 million copies.
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Album sales tracker Nielsen Soundscan announced that the pop star's album, which was released a little more than a week ago sold 1.11 copies during its first full week at retailers.
According to Entertainment Weekly, "Born This Way" Is just the 17th album to reach one million copies in a week, ever since 1991 when SoundScan began counting.
Before Lady Gaga, country pop singer Taylor Swift joined the one-million club by selling 1.05-million copies of her record "Speak Now." In 2005 50 Cent sold 1.14 million copies of "The Massacre." The record, though, belongs to 'NYSYNC who sold a total of 2.42 million copies of "No Strings Attached" during its debut week in 2000.
Before the release of "Born This Way" which hit stores on May 23, there was much speculation of how many albums would sell. Early estimates predicted approximately 500,000. As it got closer to the release date, the estimations continued to increase.
In a controversial move, Amazon.com sold the record for just 99 cents, which undoubtedly helped boost sales. It is estimated that Amazon.com sold more than 440,000 copies of "Born This Way" at the 99 cent price. Most of the purchases were through digital sales. This was the biggest week for a digital album in SoundScan history as 60 percent of the sales came from digital sales.
Lady Gaga has been touring to promote the album. She recently stopped by New York City to sign copies of the album at Best Buy. Before the release of the album, Lady Gaga had released a good number of singles, something which was unprecedented. Those singles included 'Born This Way," "Judas," "Edge of Glory," "Hair" and "You and I."
She also topped the Forbes Celebrity 100 list of the "most powerful people in the entertainment business." She knocked Oprah down to second place. Forbes reported that Lady Gaga won the top spot this year due to her 32 million Facebook fans, 10 million Twitter followers and $90 million she earned while touring. Lady Gaga also had 1 million digital downloads for her single "Born This Way" in a matter of five days.
Fans scooped up 1.11 million copies of her much-hyped release "Born This Way" during the week ended May 29, with a bit of help from a hugely popular 99-cent promotion by online retailer Amazon.com Inc.
It marks the biggest first-week sales total since rapper 50 Cent's "The Massacre" debuted to 1.14 million copies in March 2005. The last album to break the million mark was country starlet Taylor Swift's "Speak Now," which started with 1.01 million copies last November. Boy band 'N Sync holds the first-week record with 2.4 million copies for its 2000 album "No Strings Attached."
Billboard estimated that Amazon downloads accounted for upward of 440,000 downloads of "Born This Way." Overall digital downloads totaled a record-breaking 662,000 copies, Billboard said.
Lady Gaga records for Interscope Records, a unit of Vivendi SA's Universal Music Group. Her 2008 debut album "The Fame" peaked at No. 2 and has sold 4.2 million copies to date in the United States. An eight-track follow-up EP titled "The Fame Monster" reached No. 5 and has sold 1.5 million copies.
After one of the most spectacular release rollouts in the history of the record business, Interscope artist Lady Gaga’s Born This Way enters the HITS Album Sales chart at #1, with a cool 1.1 million in sales.
That’s the highest total since 50 Cent moved 1.14 million of Massacre in 2005. Taylor Swift’s Speak Now sold 1.044 million in its first week last October. Counting Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter, which sold 1.005 million in June 2008, UMG has the last four million selling debuts.
Los Angeles (CNN) -- The music video for Rihanna's newest single, "Man Down," is "an inexcusable, shock-only, shoot-and-kill theme song" that should not be aired on television, according to a group that campaigns against violence on TV.
Rihanna defended her video Thursday with a posting on her Twitter account: "U can't hide your kids from society, or they'll never learn how to adapt! This is the REAL WORLD!"
"The music industry isn't exactly Parents R Us! We have the freedom to make art, LET US! Its your job to make sure they dont turn out like US," she tweeted.
The hip-hop singer, who was herself a victim of a beating by ex-boyfriend Chris Brown, portrays a woman who guns down a man who sexually assaulted her.
The video, which premiered on the BET cable channel Tuesday, "gives retaliation in the form of premeditated murder the imprimatur of acceptability," the Parents Television Council said in a news release.
The founder of the council's "Enough is Enough" anti-violence campaign called the video "a clear violation of BET's own programming guidelines."
"I join with the Parents Television Council and Industry Ears in calling on Viacom executives to immediately pull the video from programs that are targeted to youth and teenagers," Pastor Delman Coates wrote in Wednesday's news release.
Viacom is the parent company of BET. Industry Ears describes itself on its website as a "nonpartisan think tank aimed at addressing and finding solutions to disparities in media that negatively impact individuals and communities."
BET, Rihanna and her representatives did not immediately respond to CNN requests for comment.
The artist did use Twitter messages Wednesday and Thursday to thank her fans for "the amazing response" and to defend her video.
"I love you guys, and I love that u GOT IT!!!" Rihanna tweeted Wednesday.
"We're strong innocent fun flirtatious vulnerable, and sometimes our innocence can cause us to be naive! We always think it could NEVER be us, but in reality, it can happen to ANY of us!" she wrote.
She launched a series of tweets again after the controversy spread in media reports Thursday:
"I'm a 23 year old rockstar with NO KIDS! What's up with everybody wantin me to be a parent? I'm just a girl, I can only be your/our voice!"
"Cuz we all know how difficult/embarrassing it is to communicate touchy subject matters to anyone especially our parents!"
"And this is why! Cuz we turn the other cheek! U can't hide your kids from society, or they'll never learn how to adapt! This is the REAL WORLD!"
"The music industry isn't exactly Parents R Us! We have the freedom to make art, LET US! Its your job to make sure they dont turn out like US."
The video opens with Rihanna using a small revolver to shoot a man on a street, apparently in her native Barbados. The viewers see a graphic view of the man lying dead in the street with a pool of blood streaming near his head. It then flashes back to the previous day, when the shooter was sexually attacked.
"What started out as a simple vacation turns into a real sticky situation," Rihanna sings.
"Makes me want to cry, because I didn't mean to hurt him, could've been somebody's son," the song says. "Oh, mama, I just shot a man down"
"Why did I pull the trigger?" she sings. "Now I am a criminal."
"With the Name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful I have decided to break my silence to address slanderous media once and for all. Firstly, I want to apologize to every music artist and executive I've worked with. In addition, I apologize to my family and friends who have had to endure this horrible situation," he said in a statement to XXL Mag. "The events over the past week, to say the least, have caught me off guard. Although I have been aware of an investigation-taking place over the last four years, I was never informed that an arrest warrant had been issued in my name. I first learned about that warrant through the media when the news was released last week." (Statement)
He also said the situation is all a part of a large conspiracy to bring him down.
"I would like to expose the two prosecutors spearheading this slanderous and trumped up case against me. The first, prosecutor Todd Kaminsky, is a 33-year-old White hip-hop head that if he weren't a lawyer he would probably be a member of the Beastie Boys. Second, Carolyn Porkony, who failed in convicting the Murder Inc. Irv Gotti brothers on trumped up charges of money laundering. Both have a personal stake in pursuing me and will stop at nothing to bring down an innocent man...Where's the real proof that I have committed these crimes? I just want my fair trial and to not be railroaded as they so eagerly want to do. A fair trial is afforded by the constitution and witnesses should be forthright without pressure or duress. That's all I want and I'll turn myself in today. Again, I apologize to my peers, artists and family for being subjected to all of this." (Statement)
Rosemond, who has yet to be located, is being accused of involvement in a drug organization that regularly shipped cocaine and millions in cash between New York and Los Angeles recording studios, using overnight delivery services. TheSmokingGun.com reports that a man named Khalil Abdullah has already been charged with five counts of conspiring to distribute cocaine, distribution, possession with intent to distribute, conspiracy to commit money laundering and obstruction of justice. Several other men have been similarly charged in the case, including Rosemond's brother Kesner, who has reportedly pleaded guilty to cocaine distribution, and another man named Henry Butler, who is cooperating with the DEA in the investigation. (The Boom Box)
Prior to the story making nationwide headlines, Rosemond's attorney addressed the legal matter.
A Federal arrest warrant is out for hip-hop mogul Jimmy "Henchman" Rosemond, who manages Brandy, Sean Kingston and Akon. Sources say the warrant was issued last week for the Czar Entertainment chief after he was indicted for alleged involvement in cocaine distribution, and he has yet to be located. A law enforcement official confirmed that a fugitive warrant is out for Rosemond. His lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, said, "Although a federal prosecutor has told me that there is an arrest warrant out, they have refused to provide me with the warrant or a copy of the charges." (New York Post)
NEW YORK-After issuing an arrest warrant earlier this month on drug conspiracy charges for Jimmy “Henchmen” Rosemond, the DEA and federal marshals have launched a manhunt to find him and arrest him.
Rosemond is a hip hop music industry veteran who has been managing artists since the early nineties. He was implicated by Tupac Shakur as a person behind his 1994 Quad studio shooting.
Rosemond would later go on to manage rap artist, The Game, which lead to tension between 50 Cent’s G-Unit group after The Game split with them
Rosemond’s son James Rosemond Jr. was assaulted in 2007 and 50 Cent’s associate, Tony Yayo, real name Marvin Bernard was implicated and later arrested. On of Tony Yayo’s associated, Lowell Fletcher copped to the assault and was killed two weeks after making parole.
Rosemond was named as a federal informant by the New York Daily News last September but denied those allegations.
(AllHipHop News) New documents released by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) confirm longtime allegations that the Jewish Defense League (JDL) attempted to extort rappers Eazy-E and Tupac Shakur.
The FBI released the documents in response to various Freedom of Information requests for the documents, which until this point had been unreleased.
The new documents claim that members associated with the JDL, which has been labeled a right-wing hate organization, targeted Eazy-E, Tupac Shakur and others with an unsophisticated scheme to dupe the rappers out of cash.
According to the FBI documents, unnamed members of the group would call the rappers and make death threats.
"Subjects then intercede by contacting the victims and offering protection for a fee," the notes read. "The victim and their family are taken to a 'safe haven,' usually a private estate, and are protected by gun-toting body guards associated with the Jewish Defense League."
Former Ruthless Records executive Jerry Heller implied that Eazy-E had respect for JDL in his autobiography, "Ruthless."
According to Heller, Ruthless Records hired Israeli bodyguards to protect the business from Marion "Suge" Knight, who was also allegedly threatening Eazy-E with violence, after Dr. Dre left the record label around 1990.
In "Ruthless," Jerry Heller claimed that Eazy-E liked the JDL so much, that he planned on doing a movie on the organization.
During one office visit Suge Knight allegedly paid to Ruthless Records in the Fall of 1990, Knight warned Heller and Eazy-E to get new bodyguards.
Heller said he hired an Israeli named Mike Klein to head up Ruthless Records' security, since he had a "background in the Israeli security forces."
"The effect was immediate and extreme," according to Jerry Heller. "Somehow, the Suge Knight camp had Klein checked out and realized they were now dealing with a Mossad motherf**ker who didn't fool around. Suge vanished. His crew vanished. An uneasy calm descended."
According to the FBI, after Eazy-E died from complications related to being infected with the AIDS virus, the death threats continued until at least 1996, against Eazy-E's wife and family.
The JDL, which has been labeled a domestic terrorist organization, tried the same tactics with Tupac Shakur, but their efforts allegedly failed.
