Good Music/Roc Nation vs Young Music/Cash Money

        Wow! I just took at look at the latest Hip-Hop, and R&B Billboard chart, and to my surprise, Good Music/Roc Nation and Cash Money/Young Money dominated numbers 1 – 10.  When I say dominated, I mean dominated!

 

            1)   Jay Z/Kanye West – Ni**as In Paris

2)   Beyoncé ft. Andre 3000 - Party 

3)   Wale ft. Miguel – Lotus Flower Bomb

4)   Big Sean ft. Nicki Minaj – Dance (A$$)

5)   Lil Wayne ft. Drake – She Will

6)   Drake – Headlines

7)   Wale ft. Jeremiah & Rick Ross- That Way

8)   Drake ft. Nicki Minaj- Make Me Proud

9)   T – Pain ft. Wiz Khalifa & Lily Allen – 5 O’clock

10)         Rick Ross ft. Nicki Minaj – You The Boss

In addition, the two conglomerates held position 11, 12, 13, 14, and 19.

        Cash Money/Young Money Lil Wayne Carter IV installment recently went double platinum according to the RIAA.  Wayne released the Carter IV three months on August 29^th, and since its release the Carter IV has become the highest selling rap album, and the highest selling album by a male since 2008. In fact, Wayne was the last male rapper to eclipse this plateau with his Carter III album in 2008. Granted Jay Z, Kanye West, Drake, T.I., and Ludacris have all recorded platinum albums in the last three years, but none of them have outsold Wayne. In addition, Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” LP, was the only LP that outsold the Carter IV.     

        Cash Money/ Young Money affiliates; Drake, Nikki Manij, T-Pain, DJ Khaled, and Rick Ross have all enjoyed recent success in the rap game. In fact they are all platinum-selling artist. DJ Khaled recently received a Triple platinum plaque for his LP “I’m on One”, which is significant because DJ Khaled is just that; a DJ! It seems like every album they drop, and every single they release does extremely well despite the music industries hard ships. 

         Good Music/Roc Nation is doing extremely well. Jay Z and Kanye West “Watch the Throne LP is certified platinum. Beyoncé’s “4” album went platinum, Rhianna is all over the air way, and J. Cole is close to going Gold. Big Sean has sold a sufficient amount of records, Pusha T is killing the mix tape game; Willow Smith, Melanie Fiona, Common, and Kid Cuddi are set to release.  In addition to having superstar line-up, Jay Z has an absurd deal with Live Nation the live entertainment and eCommerce company.  

       I find it absolutely amazing that over 90% of the music being played on Hip-Hop/ R&B stations comes from these conglomerates. They are ahead in downloads, album sales, and singles. Is it Money, is it the name, or are they making Good Music/Roc Nation and Young Money/Cash Money are setting the standard rather we like it or not

Sources:

R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.  http://www.billboard.com/new-releases#/charts/r-b-hip-hop-songs

www.RocNation.com 

Mannie Fresh Dropping Knowledge

      

         When I say Mannie you say Fresh! Mannie Fresh! Mannie Fresh! When I say Mannie you say Fresh; Mannie Fresh! Mannie Fresh! Mannie Fresh is and always will be considered a Super Producer by those who truly know, and appreciate his work. Born Byron O. Thomas and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana; Fresh was introduced to music by his father at a very young age. During his adolescent days Fresh began accompanying his father who was a neighborhood DJay, at local clubs, and house parties. Fresh was amazed by the response his father received when he played, and was inspired to do the same. In a interview with Slava Kuperstein Fresh stated

  

"My Christmas gifts used to be instruments," explained Fresh. "I was like,

 'Okay, my friend got a bike. Why did I get a turntable?' Or somebody got an.

Atari game. I got a trumpet. I was just like, 'Okay, this stuff is just starting

to stack up.' [Laughs] My dad must've seen something in me. I would say

somewhere around twelve is when I took an interest in it. Like, you know

 what? I'm just gonna go through my pile of what I thought was junk at the

 time: my keyboard, my drum machine, horns and all that, and start fiddling

around with it”.

            Fresh is most commonly known for his stint with Cash Money Records, in fact Fresh help catapult Cash Money into a major conglomerate. From 1993 – 20005 Fresh produced a plethora of music for CMR, but abruptly left the conglomerate when he and the label heads began to dispute over royalties. Fresh’s departure from Cash Money was immediately felt by Hip Hop world, in fact its been rumored that his departure hurt the sell of Lil Wayne’s “Tha Carter II” album. After leaving Cash Money Mannie Fresh signed with Def Jam South and started his own label Chubby Boy Records.

Mannie Fresh is, and will always be one of my favorite producers. I grew up on his work, I know his tracks when I hear them, and I would love to work with him in the near future. Mannie Fresh is a great inspiration for anyone looking to be successful in the music industry. What does the name Mannie Fresh mean to me? It means Cash Money, it means amazing drum patterns, it means greatness!

 Full interview can be viewed at:  http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.17754/title.mannie-fresh-talks-getting-started-in-music-early-days-of-cash-money  

Sources:

Kuperstein, S. (2011). Mannie Fresh Talks Getting Started In Music, Early Days Of Cash Money. Retrieved November 27, 2011 from:  http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.17754/title.mannie-fresh-talks-getting-started-in-music-early-days-of-cash-money

Ines Sainz hindered by her beauty

Ines Sainz hindered by her beauty

Last year reports surfaced that New York Jets coaches, and football player’s hounded sports journalist Ines Sainz during, a practice session. Sainz who finished 33^rd in the Miss Universes pageant in 1997 is noted as being one of the sexiest sport reporters in the world.  Sainz who is more known for her looks than her work said

she ignored the player’s antics, and focused on her job. Her goal was to interview Jets Quarterback Mark Sanchez and that’s what she did. The jets were accused of catcalling, whistling, gawking, and intentionally metaling Sainz.

Sainz, who has pictures and videos all over the web that captures her poising in the most intimate form, claims that she did not file the sexual harassment report against the Jets.  In fact, it’s been noted that other reporters in the facility filed the report with the AWSM sparking a major uproar between reporters, and athletes. Some will argue that the AWSM took action, because their worried about the safety of their women. They have fought hard for their respect in a male dominated field, and a worried that their women may be judged by their appearance, and not their accomplishments. Others may argue that AWSM are overreacting. Sainz stated

“A group of news people and communicators, eager to make an even bigger
scandal out of this situation, have moved women’s rights backwards at
least 50 years,” Sainz added.  “I am surprised by how easily some colleagues skip the basic rules of
journalism:  one should investigate, inquire, and look at the facts
before giving an opinion.”

        Sainz colleagues frowned upon her belief that AWSM blew this situation out of proportion, most believe that she loved the attention she was given. Caroline Howard asks “Did Sainz cross a professional line by positioning and marketing herself as babe-sports-reporter. “I am very well known for my image,” Sainz says. “I am not pretending to be provocative, only to be attractive. “This unfortunate situation forced the media to revisit the labor rights that once hindered women in this arena.

Should female reporters be allowed into the NFL locker rooms after games/practices? Clinton Portis a former running back for the Washington Redskins stated          

"I think you put women reporters in the locker room in position to see guys walking around naked, and you sit in the locker room with 53 guys, and all of the sudden you see a nice woman in the locker room. I think men are going to tend to turn and look and want to say something to that woman," Portis said in his weekly appearance on 106.7 The Fan.”

As a former football player, I know what goes on behind the walls of a locker room. Granted no one in the locker room is thinking about sex, especially if the game was lost; however if a beautiful woman enters the locker room someone is bound to say, look, or think something provocative. Moreover, I firmly believe that male reporters entering a WNBA locker room have to check their loins at the door to maintain their professionalism.  Please do not confuse my opinionated rap with sexism, for I ‘am simply trying to convey the thoughts of an educated jock.

Sources:

Hoosen, Z. (2011) Sexiest 10 Female Sports Reporters. Retrieved November 19, 2011 form: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/863189-sexiest-10-female-sports-reporters/page/9   

Howard, C. (2010) All Eyes On Ines Sainz Sexual Harassment Controversy. Retrieved November 18, 2011 form: http://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinehoward/2010/09/14/all-eyes-on-ines-sainz-sexual-harassment-controversy/2/ 

Steinberg, D. (2010) A few words on women in NFL locker rooms. Retrieved November18,2011from:http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2010/09/a_few_words_on_women_in_nfl_lo.html

Waszak, D (2010) Ines Sainz, Azteca Reporter, Harassed By Jets? NFL Investigating. Retrieved November 18, 2011 form: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/12/ines-sainz-azteca-jets_n_713843.html

White, J. (2010) Women in locker rooms check out players. Retrieved November 18, 2011from:http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/more_sports/portis_women_in_locker_room_check_BhHpzWsU34CZhuF9VibEkP

The Agony at Penn

Last week if one were to ask me what is the biggest recent controversy regarding employment law, unions, or torts. I would empathically utter the NBA lockout, however the Penn State controversy has stolen the crown.  When the news first broke the story I immediately thought about the victims, their families, and their mindsets now that the secret is out.  Next I thought about the sick individual that committed such a horrendous crime, and the mindset of his family. Thirdly, I thought about the most winningest coach in college football Joe Paterno. 

The victims in the Penn State scandal are the most important pieces in this puzzle, their livelihood, state of mind, and privacy have all been disturbed by this instance.  Happy Valley was not a happy place at all Saturday morning; in fact it was a rather somber moment for both Nebraska and Penn State. According to Joe Juliano, Mike Jensen, and Kristen A. Graham “ More than 100 former Penn State players gathered to support the team, which kneeled with the Nebraska squad at midfield before kickoff. Nebraska assistant coach Ron Brown led the teams in prayer”.  

One has to wonder if the victims will have sexuality problems, as they grow older. At that age a child’s mindset can easily be tainted placing them into a sea of confusion, especially when it concerns their sexuality. Grammy Award winning Gospel singer Donnie McClurkin openly admitted that he was molested as a child, and struggled with his sexuality. McClurkin also stated “ God gave him the wherewithal to get out of that and find out who I really am”. Lets be clear; there is no ill will towards the gay community for everyone has the right to choose, and the right to choose is the concerning factor in this case. One can only pray for those kids, and hope they want be scared to live their lives.

Jerry Sandusky, Jerry Sandusky, Jerry Sandusky. Jerry Sandusky can easily go from the heir to the Penn State throne, and the founder of the Second Mile foundation to spending the rest of his life behind bars. Sandusky is currently facing 40 counts of sexual abuse, which carries a maximum sentence of life.  Sandusky used his trusted foundation, and volunteer missions at local schools to attract young boys. Some victims claimed that Sandusky showered them with gifts, invited them for sleepovers, and took advantage of his times with the youngsters. Sandusky has brought shame to Happy Valley, and placed Penn State in a pool of scorn.  

“Penn State Athletic Director Timothy Curley and Senior Vice President for Finance and Business Gary Schultz have been charged for failing to report the abuse to authorities and misleading investigators. Prosecutors determined that a legal duty to report the alleged abuse applied to them, but not to McQueary and Paterno”(CNN Wire Staff).

Despites the anger, anguish, and unwanted attention Penn State is receiving, they may be facing some employment law issues. Its been argued that Joe Paterno, Graham B. Spanier, and Mike McQuery were wrongfully terminated, because neither were charged for their actions. In fact, they lost their jobs because they told their bosses about the problem, and not the authorities. These guys were fired for having a lapse in moral responsibility, even though they followed the chain of command. Wow! Everyone with a job has been told by their employer to report any issues they know of to management so they would not be held liable. However, passing the buck in this situation came back to hunt them. I understand where why some may say they should have reported the issues to the authorities, but according to the employment law they did nothing wrong. On the other hand I will say that Paterno’s loyalty to his friend did not help his stance nor did it show good judgment. Lastly, the head officials at Penn State that were fired for overlooking this matter were trying to protect the bottom line of the school. Reporting the matter could have possibly cost Penn State millions of dollars in fundraisers, and booster donations, and endorsements.  “Managers and executives face situations daily where cutting a corner or a little “white lie” could mean a big difference in the bottom line. You can’t succumb to that temptation and let the money dictate your actions”.

Reference:

Juliano, Joe; Jensen, Mike; Graham, Kristen A. (2011) Many Focuses on victims as Penn State loses game. Retreieved November 13, 2011 from: http://articles.philly.com/2011-11-12/news/30391414_1_joe-paterno-penn-state-abuse-scandal

CNN Wire Staff (2011) Pennsylvania Gov.:  Change law after Penn State Scandal. Retrieved November 13, 2011 from: CNN Justice http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/13/justice/pennsylvania-coach-abuse/

PBS (2011). Donnie McClurkin Extended Interview. Retrieved November 13, 2011 from; PBS Religion & Ethics News Weekly.  http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/may-6-2005/donnie-mcclurkin-extended-interview/1876/  

Oswald, Dan (2011).  3 Leadership lessons from Penn State Debacle. Retrieved November 13, 2011 from; The Oswald Letter Insights on Business and Leadership. http://blogs.hrhero.com/oswaldletters/2011/11/11/3-leadership-lessons-from-penn-state-debacle/ 

Simon, Darran (2011) Penn State scandal alerting college to U.S. reporting law. Retrieved November 13, 2011. from: Inquirer Staff Writer (2011) http://www.philly.com/philly/news/nation_world/133758858.html

WHO DAT; WE DAT

          In 2009 the Sports world stood in awe as the New Orleans Saints made a magical run to the Super Bowl. The Who Dat nation, which generally consist of the Mississippi Gulf Coast region has grown accustomed to seeing, and saying the phrase “Who Dat”! In Louisiana the phrase “Who Dat” is second nature to all.  People are taught from infantry how to say it, babies are often draped in Saints “Who Dat” apparel, and the local daycare is bound to have “Who Dat” toys.  In other words,  “Who Dat” is much apart of our culture as Mardi Gras.

         In  2010 the NFL attempted to claim exclusive ownership of the term “Who Dat”, stating that they own its trademark rights. Shortly thereafter the NFL began demanding local storeowners, and vendors to stop ordering, printing, and selling unauthorized “Who Dat” apparel. According to NFL spokesman Dan Masonson, "Any unauthorized use of the Saints colors and other [marks] designed to create the illusion of an affiliation with the Saints is equally a violation of the Saints trademark rights because it allows a third party to 'free ride' by profiting from confusion of the team's fans, who want to show support for the Saints."

         The “Who Dat” controversies did more then spark uproar between the fans and the NFL. It actually brought two rival politicians who never agree on anything, together for one common purpose. Sen. David Vitter and Rep. Charlie Melancon challenged the NFL to drop its claim on the term “Who Dat”. Melancon launched an online petition for Saints fans to express discontentment with the NFL, while Vitter wrote a challenging letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. According to The Times Picayune some of Vitters letter went as follows;

 “Dear Commissioner Goodell:

I was stunned to learn recently that the NFL is taking the position that it owns the exclusive trademark of the term "Who Dat" and has even threatened legal action against some mom-and-pop merchants selling t-shirts using the term.  I would urge you to drop this obnoxious and legally unsustainable position and instead agree that "Who Dat" is in the public domain, giving no one exclusive trademark rights.

This letter will also serve as formal legal notice that I am having t-shirts printed that say "WHO DAT say we can't print Who Dat!" for widespread sale in commerce.  Please either drop your present ridiculous position or sue me (The Times-Picayune, 2010).”

        

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal was also urged to get involved in the “Who Dat’ squabble. After the congressman took action against the NFL, the Louisiana Democratic State Central Committee asked Bobby Jindal to defend the rights of people. After being demanding to do something Jindal ordered state lawyers to seek a lawsuit against the league over the phrase.  

         As a Saints fan I was appalled by the NFL trying to profit off the “Who Dat” nation after all these years. 43 long NFL season went by without one inclination that “Who Dat” belong to no one, but the loyalist of the Saints. This story reminds me of the deadbeat dad whose child has grown up to have grave success in a professional league, and suddenly reemerges from the dead to try and profit off his kid. Can you say greed; I can!

The term “Who Dat” is said to have derived from many places like, The Menstrual Show, St. Augustine Catholic School, Sal and Steve Monistere, LSU, Southern University etc. Fact is it didn’t derive from the offices of the NFL. Since the commotion began spiraling out of control the NFL backed off its claim, and stated that the whole thing was a misunderstanding. Yeah Right! Who Dat, We Dat! Go Saints!!!

References:

Moore, Katie (01/27/2010) NFL Orders Shops to Stop selling “Who Dat” gear. Eyewitness News; http://www.wwltv.com/news/Whoownswhodat-82841572.html

Moore, Thomas (01/30/2010) Here’s Da Deal on “Who Dat” Controversy. http://www.aolnews.com/2010/01/30/heres-da-deal-on-who-dat-controversy/  

The Times-Picayune (01/29/2010) U.S. Senate candidates agree on “Who Dat”controversy.http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/01/vitter_to_nfl_back_of_who_dat.html

WAFB Channel 9. Jindal weighs in on NFL “Who Dat” controversy. http://www.wafb.com/story/11908461/jindal-weighs-in-on-nfl-who-dat-controversy?redirected=true