genre hiphop – MusicTECH

Producer on Lil Wayne’s ‘Tha Carter III’ Sues UMG, Saying He’s Owed $3M in Royalties

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A producer on Lil Wayne’s hit 2008 album Tha Carter III has sued Universal Music Group (UMG) over claims that he’s owed more than 10 years’ worth of royalties totaling more than $3 million.

UMG was hit with the federal lawsuit on Thursday (May 22) over Darius “Deezle” Harrison’s production work on Tha Carter III, which spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2008. Harrison’s attorney says the producer worked on six tracks for the album, including “Lollipop,” which reigned atop the chart for five weeks.

The lawsuit claims that per Harrison’s producer agreement with Lil Wayne’s Young Money Entertainment, UMG’s Cash Money Records is supposed to pay him a 4% royalty rate for his songs from Tha Carter III. Harrison is also allegedly owed a 3% royalty rate for work he performed under a separate agreement with Cash Money Records, including producing six songs off the 2005 Birdman album Fast Money.

Harrison previously sued Lil Wayne, Young Money Entertainment and Cash Money Records over these same royalties in 2011, and that case settled confidentially a year later. Harrison says UMG began sending him royalty statements around the time of this settlement in 2012 but then stopped “almost immediately.”

“Plaintiffs have not been paid any producer royalties associated with the YME producer agreement or CMR producer agreement for over a decade,” writes lawyer Christopher L. Brown, who represents both Harrison and his company, Drum Major Music Entertainment. “The recordings at issue are fully recouped and over $3 million is owed to plaintiffs.”

Harrison also claims in the lawsuit that Lil Wayne has recycled tracks he created for possible inclusion on Tha Carter III in the years since without his consent. UMG is continuing to monetize these songs as well, the lawsuit says.

The legal complaint levels three claims for breach of contract against UMG. Harrison’s lawyer says the label “has simply taken advantage of Harrison’s hard work and skill as a producer” to make a financial windfall, while completely and intentionally ignoring the contractual obligations” that entitle Harrison to a cut of these profits.

Reps for UMG and Lil Wayne did not immediately return requests for comment Thursday.

PinkPantheress Responds to Critics & Says She ‘Doesn’t Do Music to Perform’

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PinkPantheress delivered her acclaimed nine-track Fancy That mixtape this month, and fans are hoping she’ll get back on the road soon to tour around the new project.

Pink has been critiqued as a performer in the past, and she sat down with Capital Buzz where she agreed that the criticism has been “fair” and that she doesn’t make music for the stage.

“I don’t do music to perform, I think is the thing, and that’s perfectly fine,” she said around the 23:55 mark of the interview. “I think that people are probably used to and also expect a singer to be able to perform well. And I don’t blame anyone for thinking that. I’m not the best performer. Again, it’s one of those things where I’m like ‘I’m going to get better.’”

PinkPantheress continued: “But the thing is, no amount of rehearsals can make a difference when you’re in front of like 10,000, 50,000, 100,000. No amount of rehearsal you can do, and as somebody that has got very bad stage fright… I think one of the things people say is like, ‘Oh, I think her performances are a hindrance to her career.’ And I do think there is a level of if you want to make it as like a big, big pop-diva.”

The British artist is at peace in more intimate settings and doesn’t think the performance aspect is a hindrance to her blossoming career. Pink also caught up with Billboard earlier in May, which saw her reveal that touring with Olivia Rodrigo made her learn that she’s “not an arena artist.”

“Watching her and how she combats an arena and how she actually does the arena made me realize, ‘Wow, some people are arena artists and some people are not.’ I’m not an arena artist,” she admitted. “That’s something I learned about myself. What I learned from her is there are ways you can approach an arena and interact with people in the up theres or the far backs. She did that and is amazing at it.”

PinkPantheress added: “What happened when I watched her was, I saw my own failing and my own incapabilities, and I was like, ‘I’m not an arena artist.’ That’s not for a lack of trying. It just made me realize there are some things in life as an artist you’re told you should try one day — but for me, I think I’m one of those artists where I’m comfortable is where I always strive.”

The 24-year-old opened for Rodrigo for six or seven shows before leaving the tour for personal reasons related to her health in 2024.

As for Fancy That, Pink heavily tapped into the drum and bass genre and pulled on inspiration from Basement Jaxx and Calvin Harris to complete the cohesive work, which she thinks is her sonic magnum opus.

Stream the mixtape below.

Inside New York Liberty Championship Ceremony With Jonquel Jones & More | All Access | Billboard News

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Billboard got to sit courtside at the New York Liberty’s WNBA opening game and championship ceremony, and we take you inside what you missed on the big night, including an interview with Jonquel Jones.

Are you excited for this WNBA season? Let us know in the comments!

Narrator:

Billboard was courtside for the New York Liberty’s opening game of the WNBA season. See them celebrate their first championship in Billboard All Access. The New York Liberty showed up in their stylish ‘fits, ready to celebrate along with their famous mascot, Ellie the Elephant. The team celebrated their first championship in franchise history with diamond-encrusted championship rings and by raising the franchise’s first championship banner. Finals MVP Jonquel Jones shared what it was like to celebrate in her native country of the Bahamas. All this happened before their opening game tipped off against the Las Vegas Aces. Ellie the Elephant transformed into “Ellie Minaj” and entertained the crowd with her Nicki Minaj-themed halftime show.

A$AP Rocky Teases New Song at Cannes During ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ Premiere

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A$AP Rocky continues to tease new music ahead of dropping his highly anticipated album Don’t Be Dumb. However, the song that was played as he walked down the red-carpet stairs in the rain with his pregnant partner Rihanna at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday night, when his new movie Highest 2 Lowest premiered, sounds like he’s referencing the “Yung Felon” character he’s playing in the film.

And while it sounds like a standard Rocky record, there’s a point in the song where he’s heard rapping, “Shout-outs to my felons, boy/ We caught another felony.” He also raps something to the effect of “I can’t go to court, my baby mama child support, f— college,” as he’s posing for pictures next to the actual mother of his children.

Highest 2 Lowest, directed by Spike Lee and also starring Denzel Washington, has been receiving rave reviews and got a nearly six-minute standing ovation after its Cannes premiere. Denzel also received the honorary Palme d’Or, which he was presented with by “his brother from another mother,” Spike Lee.

This will be the fifth movie Spike and Denzel have worked on together, and it will likely be their last. “This is the fifth one we’ve done together,” Lee told reporters at the festival. “It has been a blessing, this body of work between us, doing films that people love. And I think this is it. He’s been talking about retirement. But five films together: that’s good, they stand up.”

The film is set to be released in U.S. theaters on Aug. 22 and will hit Apple TV+ on Sept. 5.

50 Cent Posts AI Picture of Himself Wearing ‘Free Diddy’ Shirt

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50 Cent is back at it.

The Queens rapper and filmmaker continues to troll Diddy as the Harlem mogul’s sex trafficking trial heads into its second week. This time, he posted an AI-generated picture of himself on Instagram wearing a white “Free Diddy” shirt in front of a courthouse and followed that up with a screenshot of an article referencing testimony from Cassie‘s mother, Regina Ventura, in which she testified that Diddy requested $20,000 that he spent on her daughter after he found out she was dating Kid Cudi, forcing Cassie’s parents to take out a loan.

“He only made Cassie’s mom take out a home equity loan to pay 20k for him to not put out sex tapes,” 50 wrote in the caption. “Free itty bitty Diddy! LOL wait is that legal.”

Just over the weekend, 50 Cent joked about people being offered $20 an hour to wear “Free Diddy” shirts in front of Manhattan federal court, writing, “Diddy paying people to wear Free Diddy shirts is diabolical, but $20 a hour ain’t bad. I might go throw that on for a hour tomorrow.”

In another picture he posted, this time wearing a black “Free Diddy” shirt, his caption read: “Ok now where do I send my $20 invoice guys, a deals a deal. If you want I can be there tomorrow from 3 to 4 OK!”

In other Diddy trial news, Kid Cudi is expected to testify sometime this week, according to prosecutors. And it’s pretty safe to assume that the subject of Diddy allegedly blowing up Cudi’s car over his relationship with Cassie will be broached.

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Here’s What Drake Has to Say About the Dreaded ‘Drake Curse’ in Sports

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Whenever Drake supports a team with his rooting interest or backs them with his six-figure bets and that franchise ends up losing, the 6 God hears all the noise from sports fans about the “Drake Curse.”

Drake was finally asked about the mythical curse in a mock interview he posted to his Instagram on Monday (May 19) in promotion of his partnership with Stake.

“I feel like I don’t play sports, whether I picked the wrong team or not, if I could get out there and win for all your favorite teams, I would,” he said.

Ultimately, Drake feels vindicated that a “curse” doesn’t exist because the Toronto Raptors captured their first NBA championship in 2019.

“The Drake curse is funny to me,” he revealed. “First of all, the Toronto Raptors are NBA champions. If there was a Drake curse, Kawhi [Leonard] would’ve never hit that shot, we would’ve never beat the Warriors. There is no Drake curse, but it’s funny, though.”

However, Drake did concede that he isn’t a sports gambling savant and has taken his fair share of monetary losses with bad bets over the years.

“I am a flawed sports better,” Drizzy admitted. “I will not deny that. That’s not my gift. I’ll let everybody roll with it. I’m sure if you’re a Drake curse believer, there will be plenty more content in the future to confirm your theories because my slips do not cash out. But one day I’m gonna have a parlay that’s insane.”

Drake added to the “Drake Curse” theories on Sunday night when his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs after a 6-1 thrashing at the hands of the Florida Panthers in Game 7.

Drizzy actually ended up b e t t i n g $1.25 million on the Maple Leafs to take home the game 7 victory and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

However, Drake jokingly flipped the script and blamed the “Bieber Curse” in his IG Story, as Justin Bieber, who’s a massive Leafs fan, was in attendance front and center at Scotiabank Arena with his wife, Hailey, to watch the excruciating loss in person.

“I don’t remember a time in my life when I haven’t been obsessed with the leafsssss,” Bieber wrote following the loss on his Instagram. “This year we made it farther than we have in so long and im happy about that. I can be patient cuz I know this is the team to do it.”

Watch the full interview clip with Drake below.

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Rapper Werenoi, France’s Biggest-Selling Music Artist in Recent Years, Dies at 31

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Werenoi, the rapper who became France’s biggest-selling music artist in recent years, has died at age 31, his record label and producer said.

The artist, whose real name was Jérémy Bana Owona, was the No. 1 album seller in France in 2023 and 2024 according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry’s (IFPI) ranking, which includes in-store and e-commerce sales as well as plays on streaming services.

“It’s with immense sadness that we’ve learned of Werenoi’s passing,” his record company Believe said on Instagram. “All our thoughts are with his family, loved ones, his team and everyone who knew him.”

“Rest in peace my brother, I love you,” his producer Babs posted on X.

French media reports Werenoi died early Saturday (May 17) in a Paris hospital. The cause of his death has not been made public.

Werenoi first became known to the French public in 2021 when he posted his song “Guadalajara” on YouTube and it was viewed hundreds of thousand times.

He released three albums, Carré in 2023, Pyramide in 2024 and Diamant Noir in 2025, making him one of the biggest names in French rap.

Several French rappers posted tributes on social media.

French-Malian pop star Aya Nakamura, who featured on Werenoi’s second album, wrote: “Rest in peace my dude. A news that saddens me and courage to the loved ones especially.”

“He made a difference for the quality of his songs, his melodies and his punchlines,” singer Pascal Obispo, who had accompanied Werenoi on the piano at a 2023 Paris concert, told French newspaper Le Parisien.

Rapper HoodyBaby Charged in Alleged 2023 London Nightclub Attack Tied to Chris Brown

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A fellow musician and friend of Chris Brown has been charged alongside the Grammy-winning singer on allegations they beat and seriously injured a music producer at a London nightclub in 2023, police said Saturday (May 17).

Omololu Akinlolu, 38, who performs under the name HoodyBaby, was due to appear in Manchester Magistrates’ Court on a charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Brown, 36, was jailed without bail on the same charge Friday (May 16), throwing his upcoming tour into question. He is scheduled to appear at Southwark Crown Court in London on June 13, which is the third day of his world tour.

Akinlolu is a rapper from Dallas, Texas, who has collaborated with Brown and Lil Wayne. He also goes by the names Fat Leopard and Super Hood.

Police gave no details on what role Akinlolu played in the alleged assault but said he was charged in connection with the same incident as Brown.

Brown was on tour in the U.K. in February 2023 when he launched an unprovoked attack on producer Abe Diaw, striking him several times with a bottle at the Tape nightclub in the swanky Mayfair neighborhood in London, prosecutor Hannah Nicholls said in court Friday.

Brown then chased Diaw and punched and kicked him in an attack caught on surveillance camera in front of a club full of people, she said.

Brown did not enter a plea and only spoke to confirm his name, birth date and gave his address as the Lowry Hotel, where he was arrested in Manchester early Thursday and taken into custody.

Brown’s representative has not responded to multiple requests for comment from The Associated Press.

Brown, often called by his nickname Breezy, burst onto the music scene as a teen in 2005 and has become a major hitmaker over the years with notable songs such as “Run It,” “Kiss Kiss” and “Without You.”

He won his first Grammy for best R&B album in 2011 for F.A.M.E. and then earned his second gold trophy in the same category for 11:11 earlier this year.

He is scheduled to launch an international tour next month with artists Jhene Aiko, Summer Walker and Bryson Tiller, opening with a European leg on June 8 in Amsterdam before starting North America shows in July.

Drake Tells Tory Lanez ‘Come Home Soon’ After Prison Stabbing

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Drake wants fellow Canadian rapper Tory Lanez to “come home soon” after he was stabbed multiple times in prison and hospitalized earlier this week.

On his Instagram Story Friday (May 16), Drake wrote “@torylanez come home soon” while sharing a Change.org petition urging California Governor Gavin Newsom to pardon the fellow Toronto MC, who’s currently serving a 10-year prison sentence after being convicted on three felony counts tied to his shooting of Megan Thee Stallion during a heated dispute after a Hollywood Hills pool party in July 2020.

TMZ reported Monday that Lanez (real name Daystar Peterson) had been stabbed in the prison yard of California Correctional Institution and rushed to a nearby hospital in Bakersfield, California, to treat his injuries. A statement shared on Lanez’s Instagram Story the following day revealed that he had been “stabbed 14 times, including seven wounds to his back, four to his torso, two to the back of his head and one to the left side of his face. Both of his lungs collapsed, and he was placed on a breathing apparatus. He is now breathing on his own,” the statement reads. “Despite being in pain, he is talking normally, in good spirits and deeply thankful to God that he is pulling through. He also wants to thank everyone for the continued prayers and support.”

This isn’t the first time Drake has shown support to Tory Lanez. In December, during his Drizzmas Giveaway stream with Adin Ross, Drake raised a shot glass to Lanez and declared, “3 up T, man. 3 up T. I know they don’t want to hear me say that. 3 up T.” He used a similar plea 10 months earlier when he simply wrote “3 u” on his IG Story.

The two previously feuded but squashed their beef in 2017 via an IG post. Drake brought Lanez out at his OVO Fest the same year to perform “Controlla” from the former’s 2016 album Views together.

Diddy Trial Day 3 Recap: Cassie Testimony Covers Threats Against Kid Cudi, $20M Settlement & More

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Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura wrapped up her direct testimony against the rap mogul on Wednesday (May 14), telling jurors that Combs threatened to blow up Kid Cudi’s car and revealing the dollar amount of a bombshell settlement that set off the sex-trafficking probe.

Ventura, an R&B singer who dated Combs on and off for 11 years, is the star witness in Combs’ criminal trial. She’s been on the witness stand since Tuesday (May 13), testifying that Combs physically abused her and forced her to have sex with male escorts during drug-fueled events known as “freak offs.”

In her final day of direct testimony, Ventura reportedly told the jury that Combs became enraged when he discovered she was dating Cudi (Scott Mescudi) in 2011, according to The New York Times, which also reported that Ventura testified that Combs lunged at her with a wine opener and threatened to release freak off videos and hurt both her and Mescudi.

Ventura also said that Combs threatened to blow up Mescudi’s car, the Times reports, and that she soon broke things off with Mescudi out of fear.

“Too much danger, too much uncertainty of what could happen if we continued to see each other,” Ventura reportedly testified.

Ventura alleged in a November 2023 civil lawsuit that Mescudi’s car did, in fact, explode in his driveway a short while after Combs’ threats. Combs has not been officially linked to the incident.

Ventura’s civil lawsuit, the first major public accusation against Combs, was also a key topic during her final day of direct testimony. Though Combs settled with Ventura after a single day, the case sparked the criminal probe that led to the current trial and a deluge of other civil sex abuse lawsuits against Combs.

The dollar amount of Ventura’s settlement was kept confidential and long unknown to the public. But according to the Times, Ventura revealed for the first time during her testimony Wednesday that the settlement amounted to $20 million.

Ventura is scheduled to undergo cross-examination by Combs’ lawyers starting Thursday (May 15). The trial could last up to two months total.

MusicTECH--OHIO

Category: genre hiphop

Producer on Lil Wayne’s ‘Tha Carter III’ Sues UMG, Saying He’s Owed $3M in Royalties

PinkPantheress Responds to Critics & Says She ‘Doesn’t Do Music to Perform’

Inside New York Liberty Championship Ceremony With Jonquel Jones & More | All Access | Billboard News

A$AP Rocky Teases New Song at Cannes During ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ Premiere

50 Cent Posts AI Picture of Himself Wearing ‘Free Diddy’ Shirt

Here’s What Drake Has to Say About the Dreaded ‘Drake Curse’ in Sports

Rapper Werenoi, France’s Biggest-Selling Music Artist in Recent Years, Dies at 31

Rapper HoodyBaby Charged in Alleged 2023 London Nightclub Attack Tied to Chris Brown

Drake Tells Tory Lanez ‘Come Home Soon’ After Prison Stabbing

Diddy Trial Day 3 Recap: Cassie Testimony Covers Threats Against Kid Cudi, $20M Settlement & More

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