News

19 May 2023

Jimi Hendrix Court Battle to Be Fought In London Rather Than New York, Judge Says

A transatlantic legal battle between Jimi Hendrix’s estate and his former bandmates is going to be fought primarily in London for now, after a U.S. federal judge ruled that she would defer to the British courts.

The two dueling camps — Hendrix’s estate and Sony Music on one side and the estates of bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell on the other — have each filed their own lawsuit on opposite sides of the Atlantic over control of the rights to music created by the trio’s Jimi Hendrix Experience.

After a year of jockeying over which case should take precedence, a Manhattan federal judge ruled Tuesday that it should be Redding and Mitchell’s UK lawsuit. She pointed out that the English litigation had kicked off nearly a month earlier than the American case, and that a British appeals court had already ruled that their case could move forward.

“The litigation centers on estate matters in England, general release documents located in England, and copyright and intellectual property rights under English law,” Judge Ronnie Abrams wrote. “It can thus hardly be said that the courts of England are not an adequate forum.”

Hendrix teamed up with Redding and Mitchell in 1966 to form the Experience, and the trio went on to release a number of now-iconic songs before Hendrix’s death, including “All Along The Watchtower,” which spent nine weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968 and peaked at No. 20.

The current fight kicked off in 2021, when Redding and Mitchell’s heirs sent a letter in the UK claiming they own a stake in Hendrix’s music and arguing that they’re owed millions in royalties. The Hendrix estate and Sony responded a month later by filing their own lawsuit in New York federal court, arguing that Redding and Mitchell signed away their rights shortly after the legendary rocker died in 1970, in exchange for “significant monetary consideration.”

But for over a year, the two sides have been duking it out over which case should proceed first. The Hendrix estate and Sony say the contractual releases, which will play a central role in the case, were all signed in New York as part of probate proceedings in that state. But Redding and Mitchell’s heirs have claimed the estate is merely trying to “circumvent” English courts to win a friendly judge in America.

“Plaintiffs are merely trying to win the race to the courthouse because they apparently believe this court will be more sympathetic to their claim than the English court before which it is now pending,” the Redding and Mitchell heirs wrote last year. “Such blatant forum shopping is not entitled to any deference.”

Last month, a London appeals court ruled that the U.K. case could proceed, regardless of what happened in New York. That ruling said that the New York releases might indeed end up being the “central aspect in the dispute,” but that the British case also dealt with broader issues of English law.

And on Tuesday, Judge Abrams cited that April ruling as a key factor in why she had decided that the New York case could wait until the British case was resolved.

“The London High Court’s lengthy decision finding jurisdiction over the English action underscores the appropriateness of that forum, and the merits of that action are now being actively litigated in English courts,” the judge wrote. “This action is hereby stayed pending the resolution of defendants’ action in England.”

Neither side’s attorneys immediately returned requests for comment.

Read the entire ruling here:

19 May 2023

Dr. Luke Named Songwriter of the Year at 2023 ASCAP Pop Music Awards

Dr. Luke was named pop music songwriter of the year at the 2023 ASCAP Pop Music Awards, which were held at Yamashiro Hollywood in Los Angeles on May 18. This is the third win in that category for Dr. Luke (Lukasz Gottwald). He won in 2010, and shared the award with Max Martin in 2011.

In the 40-year history of the ASCAP Pop Music Awards, only three other songwriters have won pop music songwriter of the year three or more times. Martin leads with 11 wins, followed by Diane Warren with five. Lionel Richie is tied with Dr. Luke with three wins.

Dr. Luke won this year based on the radio airplay and number of streams for such hits as Latto’s “Big Energy,” Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl” and a string of hits for Doja Cat, including “Need to Know,” “Woman” and “You Right.”

The pop music songwriter of the year is determined by the total number of a writer’s shares in ASCAP Pop Music Award-winning songs multiplied by the winning songs’ impressions, which are calculated based on Luminate data for terrestrial and satellite radio and streaming services.

“Stay,” performed by The Kid LAROI and ASCAP member Justin Bieber, who co-wrote the song, won ASCAP pop music song of the year. The synth-pop smash notched seven weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It remained on the chart for 63 weeks, which set a new record for a Bieber single.

“Stay,” which is published by Universal Music Publishing Group and Bieber Time Publishing, took the No. 1 slot on Billboard’s year-end Radio Songs chart for 2022. On Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 Songs chart for 2022, it finished No. 3 – even though its points were split between two years. The song had finished No. 12 on the year-end Hot 100 Songs chart for 2021.

Sony Music Publishing took ASCAP pop music publisher of the year for the second year in a row and the eighth time overall. Sony/ATV tied with EMI in 2009. Sony/ATV won outright or tied as publisher of the year in 2009, 2013-15, 2017 and 2019.

Sony Music Publishing won this year based on the strength of such hits as “Break My Soul” (Beyoncé), “Hrs and Hrs” (Muni Long), “One Right Now” (Post Malone and The Weeknd), “Numb Little Bug” (Em Beihold) and “23” (Sam Hunt).

Other songwriters honored for their ASCAP Pop Music Award-winning songs included Billy Walsh (“Die for You,” “I Like You,” “One Right Now”), Cardi B (“Wild Side”), Dua Lipa (“Sweetest Pie”), Fousheé (“Bad Habit”), Greg Kurstin (“Easy on Me”), Henry “Cirkut” Walter (“Die for You,” “Unholy”), Kim Petras (“Unholy”), Louis Bell (“I Like You,” “One Right Now”), Phil Plested (“I’m Good (Blue)”), Sarah Hudson (“Sweetest Pie”), Sia (“Unstoppable”), Starrah (“Wild Side”), Theron Thomas (“About Damn Time,” “Big Energy”) and Vaughn Oliver (“Big Energy,” “Super Freaky Girl”).

A complete list of 2023 ASCAP Pop Music Awards honorees can be found on the ASCAP website.

19 May 2023

Charlamagne Tha God Talks Judy Blume On Kevin Hart’s Podcast

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Charlamagne Tha God revealed to Kevin Hart that renowned author Judy Blume was his “ultimate dream interview” recently while on a podcast.

The media personality was a recent guest on the newest episode of the Gold Minds with Kevin Hart podcast series, which is a joint collaboration between SiriusXM and Hart’s media company, Hartbeat. As they spoke, The Breakfast Club host spoke highly of the well-regarded young adult author,

“I just did one [interview] that will be coming out real soon and it was with somebody who absolutely, positively has shaped my life from afar, just being a fan of their work and I cannot wait for that conversation comes out,” Charlamagne began. “I might as well tell you who it is…It’s with Judy Blume!” He explained: “I love Judy Blume because my mom was an English teacher and she would always tell me to read things that don’t pertain to me.  So when I would go to the library, I’d see these books with these little white boys and white girls on the front and I’m like, well that’s nothing like my life so I would read all of her work and I fell in love with her.”

Both men also spoke about Charlamagne’s own personal evolution, with Hart and the media personality joking about his time with Wendy Williams beforehand. “How do you personally feel about your progression to this point? Is it surreal to you, or is it expected?” Hart asked. “It’s still surreal. My mother gave me a piece of advice nine, ten years ago that I still hold onto – ‘just be happy you’re making a living.”, Charlamagne responded.

The two also discussed the growth of The Breakfast Club to becoming a significant platform for the culture in recent years, with Hart noting how he would make it a point with his team to ensure that any time he went to New York City, he would be booked on the show. “I can say that I really started to look at you guys like “wow” when I saw how you went into the political stuff,” the comedian said.

The Gold Minds with Kevin Hart podcast is available now on all podcast platforms.

19 May 2023

Jimmy Buffett Cancels Show Due to Undisclosed Medical ‘Issues That Needed Immediate Attention’

Jimmy Buffett canceled his planned concert in Charleston, S.C., on Saturday (May 20) with his Coral Reefer Band after telling fans on Thursday (May 18) that he is dealing with some undisclosed health issues.

In a Facebook message to his Parrothead nation, Buffett, 76, said the show at Credit One Stadium would be rescheduled with all tickets honored for the new date, writing, “These few words from Mark Twain about life changes, seemed perfect to pass on at this time. ‘Challenges,’ he said, ‘make life interesting, however overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.’ I had a sudden change of plans this week that affected us all.”

Specifically, Buffett said that earlier this week, he returned from a trip to the Bahamas and was “thawing out” from his California winter tour, “chomping at the bit to get to Charleston.” During a stop in Boston for a check-up, Buffett said he wound up “back in the hospital to address some issues that needed immediate attention.”

Buffett did not disclose the ailment, the treatment he received or his prognosis, but continued with some well-worn advice for seafarers and land-lubbers alike. “Growing old is not for sissies, I promise you,” he wrote. “I also will promise you that when I am well enough to perform, that is what I’ll be doing in the land of She-Crab soup.”

The billionaire musician/entrepreneur postponed or canceled his five remaining 2022 tour dates in Sept. of last year due to an unspecified medical issues that required a brief hospitalization.

See Buffett’s post below.

19 May 2023

Travis Scott’s Bodyguard Seen With ‘Utopia’ Briefcase Handcuffed to His Wrist

Travis Scott’s Utopia album may be inching closer to a release date. On Thursday (May 18), photos surfaced of Scott walking alongside his bodyguard, who was spotted holding a briefcase with Utopia written on it. To increase security measures, the guard had the briefcase handcuffed to his wrist. 

Billboard has reached out to the rapper’s rep for comment.

Rumors have been swirling regarding the release date for the hotly anticipated album. Epic Records CEO Sylvia Rhone told Billboard earlier this year that Utopia is “expected to come in June.” Scott’s last album arrived in 2018 when he released his astronomic effort Astroworld. The collection bowed at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in its debut week, reeling in 537,000 album equivalent units. It included features from Drake, Frank Ocean, The Weeknd and more. It also received a Grammy nomination for best rap album the following year, but lost to Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy. 

Earlier this week, Scott was at a Houston Astros game when he previewed Utopia ahead of the team’s showdown against the Chicago Cubs. Speaking to Fox 26’s sports director Mark Berman, Scott said he was “fresh from Utopia … it’s on the way now.” He added, “I had to come here to play Utopia for the boys down in the locker room. Had to get them right for the game.”

In 2021, Travis released one-off singles in “Mafia” and “Escape Plan” ahead of his Astroworld Festival, which turned tragic when 10 people died and nearly 5,000 were injured in a crowd surge. It has since led to a $750 million class-action lawsuit.

Scott looks to make another return to Rolling Loud Miami this year, where he’ll serve as a headliner and perform alongside A$AP Rocky, Playboi Carti, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, 21 Savage and more.

19 May 2023

TikTok Content Creators Sue Montana Over First-in-Nation Law Banning App

Five TikTok content creators have filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn Montana’s first-in-the-nation ban on the video sharing app, arguing the law is an unconstitutional violation of free speech rights.

The Montana residents also argued in the complaint, filed in federal court late Wednesday without public notice, that the state doesn’t have any authority over matters of national security. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed the bill into law Wednesday and said it would protect Montana residents’ private data and personal information from being harvested by the Chinese government.

The ban is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

“The law takes the broadest possible approach to its objectives, restricting and banning the protected speech of all TikTok users in Montana to prevent the speculative and unsubstantiated possibility that the Chinese government might direct TikTok Inc., or its parent, to spy on some Montana users,” the complaint states.

“We expected a legal challenge and are fully prepared to defend the law,” said Emily Flower, spokeswoman for the Montana Department of Justice.

TikTok has argued the law infringes on people’s First Amendment rights.

However, spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter declined to comment on the lawsuit Thursday. She also declined to say whether the company helped coordinate the complaint.

The plaintiffs are Montana residents who use the video-sharing app for things like promoting a business, connecting with military veterans, sharing outdoor adventures or expressing their sense of humor. Two of them have more than 200,000 followers.

One content creator, Carly Ann Goddard, shares videos about living on a ranch, parenting, recipes and home decor. Her account has 97,000 followers and has allowed her to roughly triple her family’s household income, the complaint states. TikTok creators can make money in several ways, including by being paid to advertise products to their followers.

The lawsuit — filed just hours after Gianforte signed the measure into law — states the ban would “immediately and permanently deprive Plaintiffs of their ability to express themselves and communicate with others.”

“Montana can no more ban its residents from viewing or posting to TikTok than it could ban the Wall Street Journal because of who owns it or the ideas it publishes,” the plaintiffs’ attorneys wrote.

The case could serve as a testing ground for the TikTok-free America many national lawmakers have envisioned. Cybersecurity experts say it could be difficult to enforce.

Some lawmakers, the FBI and officials at other agencies are concerned the video-sharing app, owned by ByteDance, could be used to allow the Chinese government to access information on U.S. citizens or push pro-Beijing misinformation that could influence the public. TikTok says none of this has ever happened.

A former executive at ByteDance alleges the tech giant has served as a “propaganda tool” for the Chinese government, a claim ByteDance says is baseless.

China passed laws in 2014 and 2017 that compel companies to cooperate with the country’s government for state intelligence work. TikTok says it has never been asked to hand over its data and it wouldn’t do so if asked.

“TikTok is spying on Americans. Period,” Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen told a legislative committee in March. “TikTok is a tool of the Chinese Communist Party. It is owned by a Chinese company, and under China law, if you are based in China, you will cooperate with the Chinese Communist Party. Period.”

More than half the U.S. states, including Montana, and the federal government have banned TikTok from government-owned devices.

Montana’s law would prohibit downloads of TikTok in the state and would fine any “entity” — an app store or TikTok — $10,000 per day for each time someone “is offered the ability” to access the social media platform or download the app. The penalties would not apply to users.

Opponents say Montana residents could easily circumvent the ban by using a virtual private network, a service that shields internet users by encrypting their data traffic, preventing others from observing their web browsing. Montana state officials say geofencing technology is used with online sports gambling apps, which are deactivated in states where online gambling is illegal.

The idea of a TikTok ban has been around since 2020, when then-President Donald Trump attempted to bar the company from operating in the U.S. through an executive order that was halted in federal courts. President Joe Biden’s administration initially shelved those plans, but more recently threatened to ban the app if the company’s Chinese owners don’t sell their stakes.

Montana’s law would be nullified if the federal government placed a ban on TikTok or if it was sold to a company not based in a country that is federally designated as a foreign adversary, which currently includes China, Russia, North Korea, Iran and Cuba.

19 May 2023

Executive Turntable: Better Noise Shuffles Leadership; Columbia Names HYBE Vet as A&R VP

Better Noise Music has announced several new leadership changes. Founder Allen Kovac (New York) is now chairman of the label, Dan Waite (London) has been named CEO and Steve Kline (New York) has added the title of president to his existing COO title. Better Noise’s roster includes mainstream rock acts such as Five Finger Death Punch, Dirty Heads, The Hu and Asking Alexandria.

In a statement, Kovac, who was included on Billboard‘s 2022 Indie Power Players list, said the label “is continuing to grow our international cumulative sales through our global offices.” Billboard named Better Noise the No. 1 mainstream rock airplay label and No. 1 mainstream rock airplay imprint of 2022.

“In this new role,” said Waite, “I’ll aim to maximize the careers and album consumption of our signed acts on our label as we grow the label, expanding through new signings, opening up new markets and working closely with the amazing specialists that we have in each department at BNM which has kept us #1 Rock Label for the last five years.”

Kline, who has been Better Noise’s COO since 2016, has worked for 18 years under the Kovac Media umbrella, first at artist management firm 10th Street Entertainment. “I want to thank Allen for putting his faith in me, as he has over the past 19 years, in this enhanced role at Better Noise,” said Kline. “I am incredibly excited to work with Allen and Dan in leading our amazing global team to future success.”

Nicole Kim was named vp of A&R at Columbia Records. Kim arrives at the label from Big Hit Music/HYBE, where she served as head of A&R and head of creative for BTS. During her more than five-year tenure at the Korean company, she worked on BTS’ collaborations with Coldplay, Halsey, Nicki Minaj, Megan Thee Stallion and more. Prior to Big Hit/HYBE, she held creative roles at Starship Entertainment and Sony Music Publishing Korea. Kim will be based out of Columbia’s Los Angeles office and can be reached at nicole.kim@sonymusic.com.

Shahendra Ohneswere was named to the newly-created role of head of creative strategy at Island Records, where he will lead overall creative strategy and digital marketing initiatives for the label. He is based in New York and will report to co-CEOs Imran Majid and Justin Eshak. Ohneswere joins Island from Columbia, where he has served as senior vp of content development/co-head of digital marketing since 2018. He was named to Billboard‘s R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players lists in 2021 and 2022.

Jennifer Cabalquinto was named CFO at EMPIRE, where she will oversee all day-to-day and long-term financial planning and accounting operations while strategizing the company’s expansion into sports, video games, TV/film and live entertainment. She has held CFO positions at 2K Games, Universal Studios Hollywood, Telemundo and the Golden State Warriors.

Garrett Levin is stepping down from his role as president/CEO of The Digital Media Association (DiMA) as he plots a move to Geneva, Switzerland, where he will relocate this summer due to his wife’s job. Levin will continue leading the organization through his departure as the DiMA board searches for a successor. “I have been honored to lead this organization over the past four-plus years and am deeply proud of our many successes during that time,” said Levin on LinkedIn. “We reached a landmark settlement with music publishers and songwriters, continued the important work of turning the Music Modernization Act into operational reality, forged stronger relationships between streaming services and other music stakeholders, and continuously told the story of the vital role that streaming plays in today’s music industry.”

Virgin Music Group announced the promotion of three executives: Leslie Cooper to senior vp of artist development and special projects, Marisa Di Frisco to vp of national promotion and Lauren Holman to vp of streaming marketing. In her new role, the Los Angeles-based Cooper will oversee K-pop releases while also identifying new artist development opportunities within the company and leading collaborative efforts in that area. The New York-based Di Frisco will continue overseeing promotion campaigns at Alternative, Rock, AAA and Non-commercial/College radio. The Los Angeles-based Holman, finally, will lead the streaming and playlisting strategy team. Cooper can be reached at Leslie.Cooper@virginmusic.com, Di Frisco can be reached at marisa.difrisco@virginmusic.com and Holman can be reached at lauren.holman@virginmusic.com.

Warner Chappell Production Music (WCPM) launched SCOREMONGERS, a new music resource that includes a premium underscore label and custom music-to-picture services. Led by WCPM head of production Pat Weaver, the SCOREMONGERS team includes WCPM producers and composers such as newcomer Sean Gould and existing WCPM staffer Scott Reinwand, who assists in overseeing all SCOREMONGERS music services, including custom music-to-picture, music customization and music editing to picture. The company launches with more than 60 albums and over 10 genres inspired by trending films and TV series, including “companion albums with wide tonal range, complimentary palettes, transitions, and recurring themes, along with extensive stem and submix options,” according to a press release. The music was created by film and TV composers including Michael Brook, Lisbeth Scott, Greg Tripi, Tony Morales and John Kaefer. Weaver can be reached at pat@scoremongers.io, Gould can be reached at sean@scoremongers.io and Reinwand can be reached at scott@scoremongers.io.

Elizabeth “Beth” Heidt was promoted to chief marketing officer at Gibson Brands, where she will join the leadership team; she was previously vp of cultural influence. In her new role, Heidt will oversee Gibson Brands’ global brand and marketing teams, entertainment and artist relations, social media, partnerships, public relations, multi-media divisions and the Gibson Gives Foundation.

Rostrum Records founder/CEO Benjy Grinberg launched Rostrum Pacific, a parent company that will incorporate an expanding portfolio of entertainment properties, including a soon-to-be-announced catalog marketing agency. Longtime Rostrum Records GM Jonathan Partch will lead Rostrum Pacific as COO; he can be reached at jonathan@rostrum.com.

ONErpm launched a digital strategy department and tapped longtime staffer Casey Childers to lead it. The Nashville-based Childers was most recently senior project manager at the company. “Our goal is to be able to provide the help artists need to grow their social footprint in a way that is true and organic to them,” said ONErpm head of U.S. marketing Jenna LoMonaco in a statement. “With Casey and the Digital Strategy team’s work, we can now provide hands-on help with social growth, engagement, and new forms of revenue.” Childers can be reached at casey@onerpm.com.

Donald Robins was named director of promotion at Warner Music Canada, where he will lead the company’s promotion team. Robins has worked in radio promotion his entire career; he joined Warner Music Canada in 2006 as a promotion representative for Quebec.

Electronic dance music festival Tomorrowland launched CORE Records, a boutique record label that will focus on “crossing and fusing genres, cultures and boundaries,” according to a press release. CORE, which will work closely with partners Virgin Music/Universal Music Group, will be led by Michel Van Buyten, who oversees Tomorrowland’s music division, including the Tomorrowland Music label. He will be joined by the newly-appointed Pieter-Jan Nuytten, who will serve as CORE’s dedicated A&R manager; Nuytten arrives at the label from PIAS/Strictly Confidential Music Publishing. The label’s first signings including Berlin-based solo dandy producer Afriqua and Belgian electronic duo Mosley Jr; both will perform at CORE Festival in Brussels on May 28. Van Buyten can be reached at michel.vanbuyten@tomorrowland.com and Nuytten can be reached at jan.nuytten@tomorrowland.com.

Steve Tadlock was named senior vp of venue relations at LiveCo, where he will manage facility relationships, content-backed booking deals and continue driving the company’s growth. Mark Dinerstein was also promoted from executive vp to president of LiveCo’s newly-formed corporate development group, where he will oversee the development and execution of company-wide initiatives and new acquisitions, venue deals, strategic partnerships and more. Tadlock joins LiveCo from ASM Global, where he most recently served as GM of Pechanga Arena in San Diego.

Amber Davis was promoted to senior vp at Warner Chappell Music UK, where she will take on a broader role in shaping the publisher’s overall U.K. strategy while continuing to oversee the A&R department as head of A&R. David will report to Warner Chappell Music UK managing director Shani Gonzales.

Donna Vergies was appointed vp of international marketing at Chrysalis Records/Blue Raincoat Music, where she joins the staff full-time following her previous position as a freelance international consultant for the company. Based in London, Vergies will work with artists on the Chrysalis/Blue Raincot roster, overseeing international campaigns and managing relationships with the company’s global partners and distributors. She can be reached at Donna@blueraincoatmusic.com.

Shannan Hatch was promoted from vp of creative serivces to senior vp/head of Nashville creative at SESAC, where she has worked for more than 20 years. In the role, Hatch will continue leading the Nashville-based creative services team while working closely with SESAC senior management to support creator-focused initiatives. She can be reached at shatch@sesac.com.

Rodrigo Dominguez was promoted to managing director of peermusic Spain and Portugal; he previously served as managing director of Portugal alone. He continues to hold the title of Latin American creative coordinator, managing activities for peermusic’s network of operations in those territories. Dominguez is based in Lisbon and Madrid and can be reached at rfernandes@peermusic.com.

Danny Berkeley-Scott was named vp at music management company Hallwood Media, where he will look to grow the firm with signings and in-house brand partnerships. In addition to launching Hallwood’s engineer management division, Berkeley-Scott oversees partnerships with Headspace, Bandlab and Soundwide.

FaZe Clan head of communications Chelsey Northern departed the youth gaming and lifestyle company to lead her recently-established public relations company The Untold, which will represent FaZe Clan along with clients including Deadfellaz, Proof Holding, Futureverse and the innovation teams at Warner Music Group and Atlantic Records.

Hillary Smoot joined the Schneider Rondan Organization as Las Vegas director/senior account executive. She brings her clients from the entertainment and hospitality worlds, including Feld Entertainment. Smoot was most recently recruited to create Red Moon PR, overseeing public relations campaigns for Los Angeles’ Viper Room, El Dorado Cantina and Red Mercury Entertainment shows including Purple Reign and MJ Live.

Joe Davis joined entertainment, business and financial management firm KBFM to lead its newly-established in-house tax department. Davis will merge his CPA firm, BootstrapTax, with KBFM. He will support the firm’s clients with all tax matters while overseeing accounting and tax planning for several small businesses and entrepreneurs both within and outside the music industry. He can be reached at joe@kbfmgmt.com.

19 May 2023

Lil Wayne Speaks on Ja Morant’s Second Gun Incident: ‘You Expect Him to Be Responsible?’

NBA superstar Ja Morant continues to be under fire after being caught waving a gun on social media for the second time in three months. The debacle has again entered hip-hop circles, as Lil Wayne recently spoke on Ja’s turbulence in a new interview with Showtime’s All The Smoke podcast. 

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“If I was going through something at that point in time, something public like what Slime was going through, I can imagine the rebellious attitude if my homies are egging that attitude on,” said Wayne about the Memphis Grizzlies point guard. 

Tha Carter MC also explained how it would be hard for Morant to receive and digest the messages from sports pundits demoting his superstar status because he’s “the breadwinner.” “I wish a n—a would tell me something. I look at like [NBA superstar] Zion [Williamson]. People begging him to lose weight and get in better shape, ‘I wish a n—a would tell me something. You know how much money I got, boy? Just like this,” relayed Wayne.

He added: “[Ja] come from a town of 3,000 people. What y’all expect? You gave him $200 million. I just said a town of 3,000 people. You expect him to be responsible? Now we trippin’. That’s magic. Because I can tell you I come from a real well-raised beautiful mother. My mama bust her ass to make sure everything around me was nice, and I still was a knucklehead. I shot myself.”

In an interview with ESPN this week, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said that he was “shocked” by the Morant incident and labeled his conduct as “irresponsible, reckless and potentially very dangerous.”

“He has an incredibly huge following, and [we discussed] my concern — and I thought he shared with me — that millions, if not tens of millions, of kids globally would have seen him do something that was celebrating in a way that act of using a firearm in that fashion,” Silver said regarding Morant’s first suspension following his initial Instagram Live incident in March. Silver suspended Morant for eight games after Morant was on social media holding up a handgun while intoxicated at a Denver-area club. 

You can watch Wayne’s thoughts on Morant below. 

19 May 2023

Suede, Travis, Echo & the Bunnymen, Rick Astley, Stone Roses & More Pay Tribute to Smiths Bassist Andy Rourke

Tributes to late Smiths bassist Andy Rourke poured in from every corner of the rock world on Friday morning (May 19) as fellow musicians honored the the musician who died at 59 following a battle with pancreatic cancer. In a testament to the still-echoing influence the Smiths had despite a brief career that lasted only five years, notes of condolence and praise came in from contemporaries as well as many younger bands whose music was undeniably impacted by the beloved ’80s English indie band that put a jangly sheen to some of the most misanthropic lyrics in rock history.

“It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Andy Rourke after a lengthy illness with pancreatic cancer,” wrote bandmate and Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr in announcing Rourke’s death. “Andy will be remembered as a kind and beautiful soul by those who knew him and as a supremely gifted musician by music fans.”

Drummer Mike Joyce wrote, “Not only the most talented bass player I’ve ever had the privilege to play with but the sweetest, funniest lad I’ve ever met. Andy’s left the building, but his musical legacy is perpetual. I miss you so much already. Forever in my heart mate.”

At press time it did not appear that Smiths singer Morrissey had commented on Rourke’s death.

Charlatans singer Tim Burgess paid homage to the deep impact Joyce had on him and his band, writing, “He was an inspirational musician with a style that made so many of us pick up a bass guitar; and the driving force for Manchester Versus Cancer. Our thoughts are with everyone who knew him. Travel well.”

British folk singer Billy Bragg fondly recalled touring with Rourke and Marr, saying, “He was a lovely guy and an amazing bass player. My condolences to his family and friends.” On the other end of the music spectrum, “Never Gonna Give You Up” pop singer Rick Astley recalled meeting Rourke and Joyce in Los Angeles in the 1980s, praising them for being “lovely guys” and for making time to chat with “a kid from Newton-le-Willows,” calling them “heroes.”

Suede bassist Mat Osman paid homage to the Smiths’ — and Rourke’s — unique sound, writing, “A total one-off – a rare bassist whose sound you could recognise straight away. I remember so clearly playing that ‘Barbarism [Begins at Home]’ break over and over, trying to learn the riff, and marvelling at this steely funk driving the track along.”

Belle and Sebastian singer Stuart Murdoch called Rourke a “bloody legend,” while Travis singer Fran Healy seconded, dubbing the bassist a “lovely gentle soul” and Stone Roses vocalist Ian Brown remembered meeting Rourke at a party when he was 17 and remaining friends with him afterwards. “One of the highlights of my music life was Andy playing on my The World is Yours album and accompanying me onstage on a UK tour and my first show in MOSCOW,” he said. “Belly laughs all the way. RiP Brother X.”

Tributes also came in from New Order guitarist Phil Cunningham and bassist Tom Chapman and Rough Trade Records, which released the band’s self-titled 1984 debut and their other three studio albums, Meat Is Murder, The Queen Is Dead and Strangeways, Here We Come.

Though the band’s acrimonious split in 1987 would cleave them into two camps, with a legal battle over royalties that pitted Rourke and drummer Joyce against Marr and Morrissey, Marr made it clear that the bond they shared was eternal. Marr posted a much longer tribute on Instagram, writing, “Andy and I met as schoolboys in 1975. We were best friends, going everywhere together. When we were fifteen I moved into his house with him and his three brothers and I soon came to realise that my mate was one of those rare people that absolutely no one doesn’t like. Andy and I spent all our time studying music, having fun, and working on becoming the best musicians we could possibly be. Back then Andy was a guitar player and a good one at that, but it was when he picked up the bass that he would find his true calling and his singular talent would flourish.”

Marr continued, writing that throughout their teens the pair played in a variety of bands around South Manchester before making their reputations from 1982-1987. “And it was on those Smiths records that Andy reinvented what it is to be a bass guitar player,” he said. ” I was present at every one of Andy’s bass takes on every Smiths session. Sometimes I was there as the producer and sometimes just as his proud mate and cheerleader. Watching him play those dazzling baselines was an absolute privilege and genuinely something to behold. But one time which always comes to mind was when I sat next to him at the mixing desk watching him play his bass on the song The Queen Is Dead. It was so impressive that I said to myself ‘I’ll never forget this moment.’”

The guitarist said they stayed friends over the years, no matter where they were or what was going on in their lives. “It is a matter of personal pride as well as sadness that the last time Andy played on stage was with me and my band at Maddison Square Garden in September 2022,” he said. “It was a special moment that we shared with my family and his wife and soul mate Francesca. Andy will always be remembered, as a kind and beautiful soul by everyone who knew him, and as a supremely gifted musician by people who love music. Well done Andy. We’ll miss you brother.”

See the tributes to Rourke below.

19 May 2023

Taylor Swift Tickets Are in High Demand — And Scammers Know It

Tickets for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour are being protected by some of the most advanced ticketing technology ever created, but it’s done little to stop some Swifties from falling victim to fraud.

With what’s likely to be the year’s most in-demand tour has come a wave of online scams that mix high-tech identity theft with low-tech social engineering to target frustrated fans unable to buy tickets during the initial sale in November. Now ticket prices are going for up to 10-times face value on secondary sites and many fans are desperately looking for more affordable options. That’s also leaving them vulnerable to too-good-to-be-true swindlers selling fake tickets. In many cases, the fans don’t even realize they were ripped off until they get to the show.

Nationwide, consumer fraud was up 30% in 2022 over 2021, according to the Federal Trade Commission, costing consumers $8.8 billion. Fake ticket scams fall under what the FTC labels as “imposter scams,” second in total cost only to investor scams according to the FTC, which notes that individuals aged 30-39 are the most likely to be defrauded in 2023 with social media sites listed as the most common place where fraud occurs. The targeting of Taylor Swift fans and offering cheap tickets the seller doesn’t have (and then disappearing on the buyer after they send over the money) is in part due to enormous publicity around the tour and the huge demand for tickets and low supply.

“Con artists will seize any opportunity to rip people off and as soon as the tours for Taylor Swift or artists Beyoncé or The Cure were even announced, scammers trying to figure out ways to capitalize on people’s desperation to get tickets,” says Teresa Murray, a consumer watchdog with the Denver-based Public Interest Research Group. Murray says her group saw an uptick in forged barcodes, fake websites and spoofs on legitimate sights like StubHub and Ticketmaster popping up hoping to profit off the frenzy around the Eras tour.

Fans who have fallen victim to Taylor Swift ticket fraud often say they are lured into the scam through a post on Facebook, listed on regional group pages from seemingly legitimate accounts offering to sell tickets for an upcoming Swift show below the current asking price on secondary ticket markets.

“When you have people who are desperate [to buy tickets] and vulnerable to fraud, they tend to suspend their common sense and make decisions they wouldn’t normally make,” says Murray, adding that this type of fraud is perpetrated by both “people living in their mom’s basement” and sophisticated criminal groups operating in an organized manner.

What victims do not realize is that instead of talking to person living in their city, they are often talking to a hacker who has recently taken over someone’s Facebook account to appear like a real person with ties in the community. After some back and forth, the scammer convinces the victim to send them money though a cash app like Venmo or Zelle in exchange for tickets that either never arrive or are obvious fakes.

This increase in fraud is happening against a backdrop of transformative technology at Ticketmaster, deployed at a large scale for the Eras tour with the potential to drastically reduce and even eliminate most instances of ticket fraud. Whereas it used to be fraudsters could buy a print-at-home ticket and then sell multiple copies of that, Ticketmaster is now employing its Safetix technology for Swift’s tour and others to issue digital tickets that live exclusively within the Ticketmaster app and are impossible to duplicate in this way. Safetix creates an entire digital ecosystem around the life of the ticket, from its original purchase, through resale and up until the ticket is redeemed on the night of the show. The scam Swift fans describe operates completely outside of that ecosystem, without any protections for consumers.

For scammers, demanding payment upfront is a low-tech way to defeat an otherwise sophisticated security system. The only way to curb this type of fraud, Murray says, is to educate fans on how digital tickets work. Much of Ticketmaster’s consumer education efforts have focused on Swift fans who successfully bought tickets and need to know how to load tickets into their accounts, transfer them to friends and redeem the tickets on show night. While this effort to educate fans is important, it does little to inform fans who were unable to buy during the public sale so that they are better equipped to avoid being sold fake tickets when they attempt to buy secondary tickets

Murray recommends only purchasing resale tickets from official sellers with a clearly visible fan guarantee listed on their site, to only use credit cards (not debit cards) and to match up the seats being sold with a seat map of the venue to verify the seats and rows actually exist.

“Often times the con artists don’t bother to check if the seating section, row and seat numbers they claim to hold tickets for actually exist on a seat map,” Murray says. “A little research on your own might help you determine if the tickets being offered actually exist.”