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06 Mar 2023

Nicki Minaj Announces She Is Launching Her Own Record Label

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Nicki Minaj

Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz

Nicki Minaj plans to level up on an executive level in 2023. The Queens rapper has announced she is launching her own record label.

As spotted on Complex the rapper’s return to Queens Radio not only released her newest single “Red Ruby Da Sleeze” but also made a major reveal. While sharing some updates she said “there’s a big announcement coming. Well, I have a record label now,” she explained. “I believe so strongly in loyalty, and because I’ve spend my whole life giving to others that turn around and sh*t on me.”

She went on to give some detail on her conversation with Republic Records’ co-president Wendy Goldstein who she was texting during the show. “I said, ‘Wendy, we got to do this big. I’m a female; you a female, mamma. You got to do this right. We gotta do it right. I don’t want no little itty-bitty ting ting. I want to do it right,” Nicki Minaj said. The “Bang Bang” MC also made it clear that her unnamed label will be very diverse and confirmed her starting artist roster of Nana Fofie, Tate Kobang, Rico Danna, and London Hill.

In discussing her newest venture she recalled her early days at Young Money Records and how that pushed her to start a label. “When I came in this game, I didn’t have no paperwork with Lil Wayne” she said. “But he had us on tour, he had us in a studio, he was getting on my mixtapes.” She added, “I understand the importance of having somebody else doing the heavy lifting for you. I understand why people are coming out and they’re so, you know, microwaveable and they’re here today and gone tomorrow, because there’s no structure.”

At this time there is no date on when she will release the label’s first project.

Photo: Bernard Smalls

06 Mar 2023

R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: Jordan Ward, Slowthai, Elli Ingram & More

Spring is upon us and the emerging and underground class of R&B and hip-hop acts have all the tunes you need to get ready for the fast-approaching equinox. From the moody sounds of Jordan Ward and 6lack to bouncy rap cuts from Pap Chanel and Young Nudy, our round-up is sure to have something for every music lover.

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Feel free to share the wealth with a friend, using our Spotify playlist linked below.

Freshest Find: Jordan Ward, “Pricetag/Beverlywood”

Jordan Ward’s Lido-assisted song “Pricetag/Beverlywood” earns this week’s Freshest Find spot. The song is a standout track from his new album, Forward. Overtaken by moody chords, the first half of the song transports listeners as Ward sings, “That’s my currency, when you break down you often turn to me/ I been a–ed out in emergencies/ And never got the same from you or urgency.” The track then transitions into “Beverlywood,” an acoustic tale of hardship and growth referencing the time Ward was temporarily uprooted due to an emergency.

slowthai, “YUM”

On his latest project, UGLY, slowthai reveals to listeners the grueling life lessons he has come to learn with unapologetic vulnerability. The U.K. master storyteller is known to wield his power through gripping visuals and raw lyricism, with “YUM” proving to be no exception to the rule.

Elli Ingram feat. Mahalia, “Fool’s Gold”

Singer-songwriter Elli Ingram bares it all on her latest offering, “Fool’s Gold.” Assisted by fellow U.K. artist Mahalia, the Amy Winehouse-inspired vocalist tells her lover she’s fed up over a slow groove singing, “It don’t mean s–t/ If you don’t kiss my lips.”

6LACK, “Since I Have a Lover”

“This took longer than I promised,” opens 6lack on his latest release — a spoken word titled “A Letter to My Fans”– adding, “but some promises are meant to be broken.” After a five-year hiatus, the Atlanta hometown hero announced his upcoming album alongside the recited letter and title track single, “Since I Have a Lover.” The song is reflective of a new chapter for the critically acclaimed singer-rapper, as he free-falls through a gray and rainy sky into a dilapidated home. “Since I have a lover, no more lonely nights/ The type of love that you supply, can’t televise,” he declares overtop a breezy pop beat.

Shann Aberdeen, “Prayers 4 You”

Canadian singer Shann Aberdeen’s latest offering envelops listeners in warmth and care, the singer dedicating “Prayers 4 You” to “everyone who’s ever shared their love with me, and for those I’ve ever felt compelled to share mine with.” Aberdeen, who formerly sang back-up for artists including Daniel Caesar and Don Amero, shows undeniable vocal prowess on the irresistible and timeless R&B cut.

Pap Chanel, “Left, Right”

If you want to be pretty and paid, take a page out of Pap Chanel’s book. Luckily, the budding Atlanta rapper is handing out free game on her latest offering, “Left, Right.” The track carries a militant theme, as Pap Chanel lets it be known that she’s keeping everyone in line.

THEY. feat. Yung Bleu, “In the Mood”

Dante and Drew are a dynamic duo. The two paid homage to ‘aughts’00s-era R&B in the video for their new Yung Bleu-assisted single “In the Mood.” “We wanted to make something smooth that still had that knock to it, kinda like the uptempo joints that Donell Jones was known for back in the day,” the duo says in a press release. THEY. also announced the upcoming album Nü Moon is slated for release on April 7.

Avenoir, “Moral”

“Moral” is the latest addition to Canadian singer Avenoir’s catalog of druggy, tell-all ballads. The song is the new artist’s first release of the year, and he’s preparing to release his debut project in the near future.

Kenny Mason, “Avatar”

On his new EP 3, Kenny Mason gives us a glimpse into the new sounds he’s approaching. “Each song has an intentionally distinct sound to highlight a different concept,” he says in a press statement. “These are essentially my three favorite songs made after RUFFS. Enjoy :)” “Avatar” is the glitchy, hi-hat and bassline-driven rap offering from the EP’s trio of tracks.

Young Nudy, “Brussel Sprout”

“Brussel Sprout” is the bold new intro to Young Nudy’s new album Gumbo. The East Atlanta rapper has a knack for amusing song titles, and here he raps about — what else — making money.

06 Mar 2023

Chaka Khan Goes IN On Adele, Mariah Carey & More, Apologizes

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Gabrielle's Angel Foundation Hosts Angel Ball 2022 - Inside

Source: Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty

It’s been two months since Rolling Stone published its “200 Greatest Singers Of All Time” list. Soul legend Chaka Khan is still calling out all the shenanigans that resulted in her ranking at No. 29, while other singers who shouldn’t even be humming a tune while mowing her lawn were ranked higher.

OK, Chaka Khan didn’t say all that, but she is displeased, and she had some choice words for higher-ranked singers like Adele, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige and others, as well as whoever is making the artist ranking decisions at Rolling Stone.

From HuffPost:

Appearing on Los Angeles Magazine’s “The Originals” podcast, Chaka Khan had some choice words about many of Rolling Stone’s selections. At one point, the 10-time Grammy winner argued that the publication’s editors “need hearing aids.”

“These are blind b*tches,” the “I’m Every Woman” singer, who is ranked No. 29 on the list, told host Andrew Goldman.

Khan took specific issue with Mariah Carey and Adele, who are ranked No. 5 and No. 22, respectively.

“That must be payola or some shit like that,” she said of Carey. Regarding Adele, she was perhaps even more dismissive, stating dryly: “OK, I quit.”

Still, Khan reserved her harshest critique for folk icon Joan Baez, who came in at No. 189. “Let’s be honest, the b*tch cannot sing,” she said of Baez. “Now, she was a good writer.”
Daaaayum, Chaka, it’s like that?
You can tell Khan is at that age where she just really doesn’t do the filter thing—if she ever did.
Notably, she acknowledged that Aretha Franklin reaching G.O.A.T. status on the list is as it “should be,” because even arguably the second greatest singer of all time won’t be offended by being listed under the Queen.
Anyway, Khan must have felt bad about going in the way she did, because on Sunday, she posted a lengthy apology to her Instagram account.
“Recently, I was asked about a list of the ‘greatest singers of all time’ and instead of questioning the need for such a list, I was pitted against other artists and I took the bait,” she wrote. “As artists, we are unfairly put into ‘boxes,’ ‘categories’ or on ‘lists.’ Being an artist or musician is not a competition. It’s a gift, for which I am truly grateful.”
“It was not my intention to cause pain or upset anyone. To anyone that felt this way, I sincerely apologize,” she added. “Empowering all artists is most important because we truly are the architects of change…and change begins within the heart.”
So, what do y’all think about Chaka Khan’s ranking on the Rolling Stone list? And is she wrong for shading the higher-ranked singers, or was she just keeping it real and calling out a great injustice? Was she right to apologize, or nah?

06 Mar 2023

Cardi B Comments On Tattooing Her Son’s Name On Her Face

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Cardi B

Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz

Cardi B lives with very little regrets. One decision that has seemed to bring her much happiness is tattooing her son’s name on her face. 

As spotted on D Listed the South Bronx bombshell is embracing her newest ink in a big way. Last month she and Offset debuted their first ever McDonald’s meal just in time for Valentine’s Day. As expected the offering was a big hit with her fans and created excitement on the fast food bundle. Another bonus from the campaign with The Golden Arches is that her followers got their first real look at her most recent tattoo. To commemorate the birth of her son she tatted WAVE in red ink on her jawline.

The “Press” rapper recently shared an up close visual of the artwork and made it clear it is here to stay. “I Love My Face Tatt ❤️” she wrote via a Twitter post. Cardi originally teased the idea a year ago saying “Random but ….I’m 1% close too tatting my sons name on my face….I really really wanna do it!” She eventually got it done back in September of 2022 during a private session with celebrity tattoo artist Robinson De Los Santos. Additionally, her placement mirrors Offset’s tattoo of their daughter Kulture’s name. The couple have been married since 2017.

06 Mar 2023

EMPIRE’s Africa Writing Camp: An Engineering Masterclass and Plans for the Future

It’s shortly after 5:00 p.m., and nearly two dozen recording engineers, producers and A&Rs are crowded into Studio A at EMPIRE’s recording studios in San Francisco, where Grammy-winning mix engineer Jaycen Joshua is in command of the center console. Joshua — who has been in the studio with everyone from Snoop Dogg to Future, Ariana Grande to Luis Fonsi, Justin Bieber to BTS, and won Grammys for his work with Beyoncé and Mary J. Blige, among others — is holding a masterclass for EMPIRE’s studio staff. Currently, he’s walking them through the ProTools plugin he’s created, called the God Particle, that will allow them to tap into some of the secrets he’s developed over the past 20 years honing his craft.

“People fail to realize that we’re artists,” he says, to fervent nods around the room, while explaining why the nuance of being an engineer is so important. “We paint like a producer paints. You want to make the colors of a painting as vibrant as possible.”

His audience is rapt, peppering him with questions and interruptions — none more eager than EMPIRE’s founder/CEO Ghazi, himself a longtime former recording engineer, who made sure to rearrange the day’s schedule so he could sit in with his staff. Ghazi flew Joshua up specially for this African writing camp EMPIRE is hosting for its top Nigerian talents Fireboy DML, Asake and Olamide, and had Joshua himself tune Studio A to his specifications, resulting in what Joshua calls “the second greatest sounding room in the world — next to mine.” (“I’ll take that,” Ghazi laughs. “It’s like being Kobe to Jordan.”)

The masterclass, frankly, seems like it’s being conducted in a different language, given the shorthand in which engineers communicate about compressors, limiters, microphones, ambient noise and the shape and quality of a particular snare drum sound wave compared to another. It’s like a PhD-level class, and each of the engineers will get access to the God Particle plugin in order to enhance their own mixes, as well — a plugin that is so successful (Joshua refers to it as his “cheat code”) that he’s sold over 100,000 copies of it in less than a year, with another coming out soon that caters specifically to drums. And it lines up with a mantra that Ghazi uses often: one about finding the sweet spot “where science meets creativity” — essentially, finding the place where technology can meet up with the inherent creativity of an artist and enhance the work of everyone.

empire

Daniel Aziz and Matthew Fong

The masterclass wraps after about an hour, and it’s time for individual sessions to get back on track. When we got to the studio at 4:00 p.m., Olamide was eating in the dining room, though he soon would go back to his hotel, and the energy of the place is much brighter than the subdued day before — with a big crew of songwriters, engineers and EMPIRE staffers in and out of the rooms. Terrace Martin is in Studio A, adding keys to an Olamide record; Fireboy is in vocal training for an upcoming tour, a process that involves trampolines and yoga; and the kitchen, after a day of Tupac, is back to blasting Kevin Gates again. Just before the masterclass, Kenny Hamilton, who manages EMPIRE artist Rotimi, is playing new music for EMPIRE vp of A&R Tina Davis and regional head of West Africa Mobolaji Kareem, discussing plans for possible features for a forthcoming album.

Later, around 6:45, Asake comes through the studio with Olamide’s brother and DJ Enimoney, headphones around his neck, talking about plans for the next few days. His engineer and producer Magicsticks is coming in from Nigeria tomorrow — “he really gets me,” Asake explains — and the plan is to finish a bunch of records that are in various stages of mixing before he starts to work on anything new. He wants to bring in a chorus, between four and six singers, to help get an anthemic feel, and EMPIRE artist and songwriter Rexx Life Raj is employed to reach out to his network of contacts to help get the right people in the building. Then Asake heads outside — after living all his life in Nigeria, he says, he enjoys the cold of San Francisco in the late winter.

empire

Daniel Aziz and Matthew Fong

It’s outside, sitting around the electric fire pit, that I find Asake again about an hour later, in a meeting with Bolaji, Ghazi, EMPIRE COO Nima Etminan and a slew of others about a music video he plans to shoot. (Dinner was again a mix of Nigerian food, and while it was delicious, I finally came face to face with the rumored pepper sauce from the night before — just as spicy as dreaded.) There are several video shoots planned for the coming days, and the conversation around the dinner table ranges from studio etiquette — specifically, what to do about the “couch producers,” a term for the random person laying down on the couch in the studio while a record is made who nonetheless demands five percent of the record — to the brilliance of a melody like “Baby Shark.”

But in each studio there’s more work underway — Joshua mixing in Studio A, Fireboy locked away in a closed session in Studio B, interviews happening in Studio C and more plotting out in the back yard around the fire pit. By 10:45, Asake had left, Olamide had long been back at his hotel and much of the EMPIRE staff had filtered out towards home. But Fireboy remained, locked in the studio, cooking up his next big record. The crew has less than a week now in the States, and there’s still plenty to do — and a lot for which to prepare.

This is the third installment of Billboard‘s series on EMPIRE’s Africa writing camp. Find the first installment here and the second here.

06 Mar 2023

Miley Cyrus Explains ‘Endless Summer Vacation’ Is Divided Into ‘AM & PM’ Parts

Miley Cyrus is just days away from unveiling her much awaited eighth studio album, Endless Summer Vacation, and the singer took to Instagram on Monday (March 6) to share a peak into the themes of the LP.

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“When it comes to the sequencing of Endless Summer Vacation, I divided it by two parts: AM and PM to kind of almost represent an act. The AM to me is representing the morning time, where there’s a buzz and energy and there’s a potential of new possibilities. It’s a new day,” Cyrus explained in the short clip.

She continued, “At nighttime, it feels like there’s a slinky, seediness and kind of a grime but a glamour at the same time. In the evening, it’s a great time for rest, it’s a time to recover. Or it’s a time to go out and experience the wild side. In LA, there’s a certain energy to the night and you can feel trouble boil up to the surface and it’s very inspiring to me.”

According to a previous press release, the album — which follows Cyrus’ 2020 LP Plastic Hearts — was recorded in Los Angeles with producers Kid Harpoon, Greg Kurstin, Mike WiLL Made-It and Tyler Johnson. The “Midnight Sky” singer describes Endless Summer Vacation as a love letter to L.A. that showcases the confidence she’s found since focusing on her mental and physical well-being. The LP is led by Cyrus’ empowering lead single and Billboard Hot 100 chart topper, “Flowers.”

Along with the album, Cyrus will also be releasing her Endless Summer Vacation (Backyard Sessions) special on Disney+ on March 10, which will feature performances of songs from her new album, plus will see her revisiting her 2009 classic “The Climb” more than a decade after its release.

06 Mar 2023

10 Cool New Pop Songs to Get You Through the Week: Arlo Parks, Portugal. The Man, Jutes & More

Looking for some motivation to help power you through the start of another work week? We feel you, and with some stellar new pop tunes, we’ve got you covered.

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These 10 tracks from artists including Arlo Parks, Portugal. The Man, Jutes and more will get you energized to take on the week. Pop any of these gems into your personal playlists — or scroll to the end of the post for a custom playlist of all 10.

Arlo Parks, “Impurities” 

Arlo Parks’ 2021 album Collapsed in Sunbeams was one of the strongest, most promising debut albums in recent memory, and based on what we’ve heard so far from follow-up My Soft Machine (out May 26), it sounds like the British singer-songwriter may soon have a classic on her hands. “Impurities” finds the retro soul vibes of Collapsed taking a backseat to blissed out ambient rock, with Parks’ voice occupying a satisfying middle ground between childlike sweetness and a sort of all-knowing assurance. – JOE LYNCH

Dijon, “Coogie” 

Baltimore-based artist Dijon taps into the creakier regions of his voice and the chunkier tunings on a guitar for “Coogie,” an idiosyncratic slice of alt-R&B. According to Dijon, it was recorded in the woods and “is out because it lived on a phone and wanted out.” Fair enough – who can argue with the wants and needs of a song? – J. Lynch  

Mimi Webb, “Amelia”

The tender closing track to Mimi Webb’s self-titled debut album of the same name (Amelia) is a letter to her younger self: “Your mistakes, heartbreaks, only make you stronger anyway / And when you’re older, you’ll see life will pass you by, so just enjoy the ride… Everything is gonna be just fine.” For an album that’s made for introverts and extroverts alike, “Amelia” finds middle ground with its introspective lyrics that can be belted out loud. – LYNDSEY HAVENS

Portugal. The Man, “Dummy”

Released as the lead single off the alt-rock outfit’s forthcoming album Chris Black Changed My Life, “Dummy” is a slow groove built around a hypnotic, counting chorus (“One two three four/Everybody get on the dance floor/Five six seven eight/Its four am and I am wide awake”). Moving away from the pop appeal of the crossover smash “Feel It Still,” here the band is embracing its original method: follow a vibe down a rabbit hole. It pays off. – L.H.

binki, “Hotel Window”

DIY artist binki’s “Hotel Window’ is a gritty, surging track that mantains a similar momentum to a theme park ride. It starts off steady, but from the chorus to the verse and beyond the song seems to subtly pick up the pace. At just barely over two-minutes, it’s the type of song one wouldn’t hardly notice — or mind — if it played on loop. Much like a parkgoer wanting to ride again and again. – L.H.

Allie Kelly, “Gunshy”

Little is publicly known of newcomer Allie Kelly, but her rock-pop “Gunshy” is an intriguing enough entry point. Equal parts pointed (like the declarative chorus and confident riffs) and soft (like the hushed self-harmonies and whispered bridge), Kelly is an artist unafraid to embrace — and explore — life’s ups and downs in her music. – L.H.

Leland feat. MUNA, “Bad at Letting Go”

“Bad at Letting Go” sports some charming synth-pop production and a snappy tempo, but when you’re dealing with songwriters as impressive as Leland and MUNA, you’d expect the lyricism to serve as a highlight — and this collaboration does not disappoint. “Dancing in the bar, the boys have all turned to shapes / Cursing in the dark, and no one heard anything,” Leland sings on the chorus, providing late-night decisions with provocative imagery and a sense of urgency. – JASON LIPSHUTZ

Victoria Anthony, “Can’t Hold Back”

Victoria Anthony’s sophomore album, New Disaster, will be released on May 12 — the same day as the Vancouver-based singer-songwriter’s high school graduation — and new single “Can’t Hold Back” contains all of the ferocity of a teenage rebel yell. Anthony adopts the pop-punk production smoothly here, singing about catching feelings as the guitar line bares its teeth leading into a howl of a hook. – J. Lipshutz

Jutes feat. Royal & the Serpent, “Punkstar”

With a title like “Punkstar,” Jutes’ latest single aims high as a new-school pop-punk anthem, and carries the magnetism to sell its concept. Jutes sounds compelling whether he’s crooning the hook or fuzzing out his voice in the verses, and when Royal & the Serpent crashes into view, “Punkstar” multiplies its appeal. – J. Lipshutz

Cafuné, “Perspective“

Cafuné — the duo of Sedona Schat and Noah Yoo — continues to delve into the shift in sound explored in its 2021 viral smash, “Tek It.” Schat’s lush vocals float over contemplative, full bodied guitar instrumentation and drum work that, at times, ever so slightly hints at early 2000s emo and drum and bass, as she sings of losing the connective thread once had with an acquaintance: “I saw your face fall/ Through the hours of daylight left/ Now we’re running out of time/ I think I’m losing perspective.” – STARR BOWENBANK

06 Mar 2023

Matthew Lawrence Says He & Chilli Are ‘Trying’ to Have a Baby: ‘That’s the Game Plan’

Matthew Lawrence spilled some serious tea about his budding romance with TLC‘s Chilli on Sunday (March 5).

When asked by Entertainment Tonight‘s Diedre Behar about whether having a baby with the R&B singer was “in the cards” in the near future, the middle Lawrence brother replied, “I hope, that’s the game plan. You know, that’s what we’re trying to do.”

The Boy Meets World alum also opened up about the impact his new relationship has had on him, saying, “My life is in complete bloom right now. I get to spend time with an amazing woman like Chilli. I’ve never gotten to be able to experience that kind of a relationship before … She’s a really, really special human being. I wish more people on the planet were like her. We’d be much better off.”

Chilli’s rep confirmed to Billboard at the beginning of the year that the singer was dating Lawrence, after the pair were spotted getting cozy over the holidays with a cute pajama-clad lip sync to a-ha’s “Take On Me.”

In February 2022, Lawrence split from his wife, Cheryl Burke, after three years of marriage, a difficult time he told ET was ultimately all part of the process to get him to where he is today. “It tested me, you know?” he said. “And I learned so much about myself, and I’m so thankful and blessed for the opportunity to grow. And that’s really what came out of it.”

Watch Lawrence dish about his family plans and relationship with Chilli below.

06 Mar 2023

Paramount Explores Selling Majority Stake in BET

Paramount is exploring a potential sale of a majority stake in its BET business, which includes BET, VH1, and the BET+ streaming service, a source familiar with the matter tells The Hollywood Reporter.

The source cautioned that the discussions are still in the early stages, and there is no guarantee of any transaction taking place. They added that if a deal closes, Paramount expects to maintain a minority stake in the business, as well as a commercial relationship. Scott Mills serves as BET’s CEO.

BET is also unusual within Paramount’s portfolio in that some of its divisions have minority investors of their own. BET+, for example, counts Tyler Perry as an investor, while BET Studios counts Kenya Barris and Rashida Jones as stakeholders. Those deals would complicate any effort to merge BET+ or BET Studios into Paramount+ or one of the company’s other studios.

Such a deal, if it happens, would give Paramount cash as it continues to build out its main streaming offering, Paramount+, and as it reviews its holdings and figures out where things piece together in its strategy moving forward.

In January, the company announced plans to merge its Paramount+ and Showtime businesses.

Founded in 1980 by former cable lobbyist Robert Johnson and his wife Sheila Johnson, the BET channel was the first cable network to specifically cater to African American audiences. Paramount (then known as Viacom) acquired BET in 2000 for $2.3 billion.

While it is too early to say who potential buyers could be, given BET’s status in the African American community, high-net-worth Black individuals, or a Black-led company, would make some sense. A number of high-profile advertisers, including General Motors and Coca-Cola, have committed to significantly increase their ad spend on minority-owned media companies. While BET targets a minority audience, its Paramount ownership would not fit that bill.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the discussions.

This story originally appeared at THR.com.

06 Mar 2023

Ticketmaster Isn’t the Only One at Fault for Taylor Swift Fiasco, Another Planet’s Gregg Perloff Says

As North America’s largest independent promoter, Gregg Perloff, the co-founder/CEO of Another Planet Entertainment, isn’t the type to ask for permission from the majors before making his next move.

Perloff has learned since selling Bill Graham Presents in the 1990s to the company that would become Live Nation that stealth can be a strategic advantage in the live-music business. That’s especially true when competing against Live Nation and AEG, which each have hundreds of millions of dollars in capital.

So, after three years of secretly negotiating, leasing and remodeling a 45,000-square-foot venue in downtown Los Angeles — AEG and Live Nation turf — Perloff and The Bowery Presents co-founder Michael Swier are about to open The Bellwether. The two-story venue is located west of the 110 Freeway between Third and Fourth streets. The one-city-block-long space is anchored by a 1,600-capacity general-admission theater and features a street-level bar and restaurant, plus a 600-capacity private event space. The venue also comes with provenance: It was once owned by Prince, who named it after his 1992 song “Glam Slam.”

Prince moved out in 1995, and a parade of lesser-known club operators followed. Months before the 2020 shutdown of live music, Swier found it. Instead of buying the building from its current owner, Perloff and Swier — who owns L.A.’s Teragram Ballroom and Moroccan Lounge — quietly worked out a long-term lease and started preparing the building for a 2023 opening. The Bellwether will be booked by long-time Another Planet Talent buyer Nick Barrie.

Perloff pulled off a similar coup in 2007 when he engaged in under-the-radar negotiations with San Francisco officials to secure a permit for the first multiday, after-sundown private festival in Golden Gate Park. Knowing the city badly needed revenue due to budget shortfalls, Perloff and his team kept the talks under wraps and got the agreement signed despite the last-minute protests of his competitors in San Francisco’s Live Nation office. That event, Outside Lands, is today one of the highest-grossing independently owned festivals in the United States.

Greg Perloff

Basketballs signed by late UCLA Bruins coach John Wooden and Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry. Former San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey autographed the miniature bat.

Karen Santos

Perloff, who has six decades of experience in the live-music business, sat down with Billboard to discuss his new L.A. venue, his thoughts on the Taylor Swift ticketing debacle, the U.S. Senate’s subsequent grilling of Ticketmaster, and the effectiveness of the U.S. Department of Justice’s 2010 consent decree and the protections put in place to protect Ticketmaster customers.

Let’s hear the big news about your new music venue.

We will be opening our first venue in L.A. in decades: a 1,600-seat music venue just west of downtown. We’re partnering with Michael Swier, who owns some of New York’s most iconic rooms like Bowery Ballroom and the Mercury Lounge. The new venue will have an open floor plan that can host any type of contemporary music act or genre. It’s got perfect sight lines with a wraparound balcony and side lounge where people can relax. We’ve got a d&b [audiotechnik] sound system custom-built for this particular room. When we saw this new space, every one of us said, “Oh, my God. We have to do this.”

Greg Perloff

Perloff says he bought this sculpture by glass artist Dale Chihuly “at an Oakland children’s hospital music therapy event.”

Karen Santos

Did 2022 meet your expectations in terms of sales?

It was a really good year for us, and our sales in 2023 are so much better than they’ve ever been. I don’t think I’m alone in this. While everyone’s saying there aren’t enough acts out there, the other side of the coin is sales are spectacular. When the end of 2021 came, there seemed to be this built-up demand after the pandemic, and we had a burst of great sales including for our festivals Outside Lands and Life Is Beautiful, both of which sold out. We had a really great 2022 as well. [Billboard parent company PMC Media is a majority owner of Life Is Beautiful.]

Why is sales momentum continuing to build?

Maybe it’s that half the people going to shows right now were ready the day the doors opened back up, and the other half now have joined in. I literally have never seen a situation like this.

Do you worry about business cooling off in late summer?

Not for Outside Lands. It was held during the first week of August and had its best year in 2022. But to your point, I’ve always said that it would be better for everyone if we could figure out how to convince artists to play all year round and go from a six- or seven-month business where everyone’s compressed together to one where artists go out earlier in the year.

Another Planet was one of the few concert companies that did not lay off any of its staff during the pandemic. Why was that important to you?

We were the only concert company that kept 100% of our employees on payroll with no salary reduction during the entire pandemic. It was important that people could continue their lifestyle. I didn’t understand why these big companies didn’t do the same. There was plenty of work to be done from home: new venues, different ways to tell people about our shows and production and building maintenance. When the pandemic ended, we were ready to go.

You’ve been a Ticketmaster client for a long time and stayed with the company after its merger with Live Nation. Over a decade later, do you think the Department of Justice got it right?

I’ll say this: There is supposed to be a firewall in place so that Ticketmaster won’t share your data with the concert promotion side of Live Nation. If anyone believes that Live Nation can’t get numbers from Ticketmaster, they’re very naive. Somehow people seem to know what everybody else’s ticket sales are.

Greg Perloff

A tambourine depicting legendary concert promoter Bill Graham that Perloff got at an event thrown by his late boss’ memorial foundation.

Karen Santos

Do you agree with the argument that Ticketmaster leverages Live Nation content to land ticketing contracts?

No, and I can’t believe that the Senate keeps fixating on something that is irrelevant. They don’t do it. That isn’t an issue. To listen to the Senate talking about arenas when Live Nation doesn’t even own an arena in this country is just crazy. Secondly, when the Department of Justice said it was going to subsidize AEG’s AXS ticketing to be a competitor to Ticketmaster [in 2010], we all saw how that went — not very good. I’m not sure that most people would pick AXS over Ticketmaster.

Because of Ticketmaster’s dominance?

No. What I’m saying is that it’s hard for me to take the government seriously when they say they want to stop monopolies when there are monopolies in every part of business, from telecom to transportation.

What are your reasons for sticking with Ticketmaster?

I thought Ticketmaster was doing a good job for us. I have nothing bad to say about my competitors. Everyone wants to pick on AEG and Live Nation, but most people have no idea how hard it is to produce a tour. I toured Star Wars: In Concert with LucasFilm around the world for five years and worked on tours with Bill Graham; it’s a completely different game than being a local promoter. AEG and Live Nation do an incredible job and should be applauded for the work they do with Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen. Every five years, you get an artist that’s so popular that you just can’t make everyone happy.

Do you think the Swift ticket sale was mishandled?

I think there were a number of problems with the Taylor Swift on-sale. This might be the first controversial thing I’ll say in this interview: Bands really want to put the whole tour on sale at once because they can advertise the whole tour at once and make a bigger splash.

Greg Perloff

Fender guitar cases containing instruments won at a benefit auction for The Bridge School, which was co-founded by Pegi Young, the first wife of Neil Young.

Karen Santos

Right, and for Swift, something like 2.2 million tickets went on sale simultaneously.

If someone’s touring for six months, it might make some sense to maybe break the tour into two segments and go on sale with the second part of the tour closer to the dates. But there’s no system in the world — and this is where I have to defend Ticketmaster — that could have handled the onslaught.

Do you think the Senate understands that?

My question for them is, “Why are you picking on Ticketmaster and Live Nation when you should be outlawing brokers?” They are the ones who screw up everything. Does every promoter take a few tickets? Does every venue have a few tickets? Sure. But it’s the scalpers that make it so no one can get a decent seat except the rich. The Senate didn’t do the research they should have done before they started pontificating and acting like they knew what they were talking about.

What’s the best way to stop scalping?

Many years ago, my business partner, Sherry Wasserman, came up with a brilliant system for Prince at the Wilshire in Los Angeles back when I ran the theater. We wanted to completely stop brokering for the show, and we made people line up the day before the show and present an ID when buying tickets. It was foolproof, we thought. And then the next day as people are walking in, here comes Muhammad Ali with tickets and a matching ID. Muhammad Ali certainly wasn’t in line the day before when we sold the tickets, but here he was with a ticket and ID. We didn’t know how, but he managed to beat the system. We just laughed and thought, “We did the best we could do.”