Click HERE to read Jeff Weiss’s full article about the mixtape usage of a sample and the lawsuit that followed
Excerpt:
Dan Weisman, the manager of Washington, D.C.–based rapper Wale, whose Seinfeld-themed Mixtape About Nothingraised the bar for the genre upon its release earlier this year, thinks the case is more about a missed opportunity for Urband & Lazar. The company owned the rights to a song that saw a sudden and meteoric rise, but didn’t properly capitalize on it. Swanepoel’s “Once” was eventually released this May by Urband and Lazar’s label, U&L Records, but the window of opportunity had passed.
“I don’t think the song itself did anything for Wayne’s career other than to add to his vast, uncleared mixtape catalog,” says Weisman. “On Da Draught 3,he used the Prince sample from ‘Diamonds and Pearls,’ and who knows how much it filtered down? But Prince didn’t sue — and he’s the most aggressive copyright enforcer there is. A girl like Karma, who most people hadn’t heard of prior, shouldn’t have freaked out but rather thanked her lucky stars that the most popular rapper in the world wanted to sample her.” Weisman adds that the publishers missed the chance to turn Swanepoel into a 2007 version of Dido, who jump-started her career on the back of Eminem’s “Stan.”
Directed by Spike Jonze who I wrote about on here a few months ago.
I was reminded of this song while watching the MAN ON WIRE trailer, specifically Philippe Petit’s closing quote. “Sky’s The Limite” contains one of my favorite lyrics of all time:
“Stay far from timid, only make moves when your heart’s in it, and live the phrase ‘Sky’s The Limit’”
MAN ON WIRE reminded me of another older movie about a phenomenon in New York in the 1970s, ONCE IN A LIFETIME: THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF THE NEW YORK COSMOS. The movie is a documentary film about the New York Cosmos, one of the most famous football clubs ever in the United States. Founded by brothers Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegün (Ahmet was founder of Atlantic Records) as well as Warner Bros. President Steve Ross, it was one of the stronger NASL franchises, both athletically and financially. It became known around the world for signing the great Brazilian player Pelé who, though past his prime, was nonetheless one of the team’s, and the league’s, top gate draws during his tenure with the Cosmos. The documentary is incredibly entertaining and offers a glimpse of something of a pop phenomenon in the 1970s. When watching movies like this, I often wonder what are the modern day parallels.
I saw this amazing documentary tonight called MAN ON WIRE about Philippe Petit’s 1974 high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of New York’s World Trade Center. The movie is beautiful, breathtaking and emotional; I can’t really explain it. Check out the trailer and hopefully you get an idea of what you’re in for. Also, not sure how the commercial for the skateboard accessory landed at the end of the trailer but it’s kinda funny.
“Life should be lived on the edge, see everyday as a true challenge and then you live your life on the tightrope.” -Philippe Petit
From Nick:
My good friend Mr. Ducker isn’t a DJ, but he always wanted to make an ultimate ’90s tape, something that brought a mixshow vibe to alt nation sounds. When he asked me to get down with his dream and collaborate, we delved deep into our middle and high school record collections (and used CD bargain bins) and brainstormed new ways to present all the alternative music we grew up on. We were inspired by DJ Spinbad’s impossibly fun ’80s pop mixes: big hits next to unexpected favorites with lots of movie dialogue and interludes for jokes, all smashed up in a dance party megamixxx. Picking from hundreds of beloved Buzz Bin jams was easier said than done (sorry Superdrag, you’ll make Vol. 2!), but with the Mishka crew’s annual trip to Magic in Las Vegas giving us an actual deadline, we finally finished this badmotorfinger as a giveaway CD for their new season. Even with double digit-old tunes, Radio Friendly Unit Shifter feels right on time, connecting the dots between Sonic Youth breakbeats, weeded Lollapalooza rap, gloriously fuzzed-out one hit wonders and much more. No irony, no empty nostalgia, just a lot of music we love that shaped what we do today. They used to play King Missile on the radio! In America! Download and enjoy. - Nick Catchdubs
Click HERE to download. Thanks Mishka
Tracklist after the jump (more…)
I know this is so old but man, these commercials were sofa king funny. Check out www.youtube.com/GilTheCrab for others
For once I’m not posting Wale press right? LOL. Not gonna lie; I’m pretty excited about this. I’ve worked very hard for 2.5 years building up Wale and his brand and haven’t done much self-promoting along the way, so when I get a little recognition here and there, it feels good. URB was one of the first magazines to really fuck with Wale and almost a year later, it seems like they had a crystal ball; putting Wale and Justice on their 150th cover took some balls! It was my job (and Wale’s) to make them feel good about their decision. I will never forget driving from Vegas to LA the morning after the VMA’s to get Wale to the photoshoot on time and meeting Xavier and Gaspard (dudes from Justice) at Smashbox Studios in Culver City and them being so genuinely excited about Wale’s music (”other than Will Smith,” Xavier said, “Wale is the only rapper we want to work with.”) Anyway, so URB did this piece on music managers in their Power Issue, a few of whom I am friends with and somehow I ended up first on the list (yes! not that it means anything). So along with Corey Smyth (Talib Kweli), Gee Roberson (Kanye, Wayne), Ian Montone (MIA, White Stripes, Shins, Raconteurs, Vampire Weekend) and a few other managers I’m not familiar with, here I am mentioned because of Wale and Paper Route Recordz. Awesome! It’s really an honor to be mentioned amongst people I look up to, especially someone like Ian who has been somewhat of a mentor to me for the past year. Thanks URB!
And in case you can’t read what it says:
Certainly something of a newcomer, Weisman has quickly put DC’s Wale on the map (and URB’s 150th cover). He works on building the brand and not just setting up gigs, though he does that too (Elitaste note: with the help of Jesse K at Nue Agency). Alabama’s Paper Route Recordz is up next.
Image from Paul Rosenberg’s blog (Paul Rosenblog)…whattup Paul, didn’t know you had a blog!
“And just like that, the greyhound-thin Fontana native has become one of the most sought-after musicians in hip-hop, having given his patented rock “remix” once-overs to a constellation of rap and R&B luminaries’ songs. Among them, Barker’s label-sanctioned remixes of Rihanna’s “Umbrella,” Busta Rhymes’ “Don’t Touch Me (Throw Da Water on ‘Em),” the Game’s “Dope Boys,” Flo Rida’s “Low” and Wale’s ‘G Told Me.’”
Click HERE to read the article
Click HERE to download TRV$AM “Fix Your Face” mixtape. This tape is pure awesomeness. Perfect for the gym, it features dynamic and diverse mixing, very effective scratching and some pounding percussion. Unlike some lesser hybrid mixtapes, TRV$AM have one goal in mind and that’s to rock your fucking face off and leave you to FIX YOUR FACE (I just came up with that…does it work? lol). It features Chemical Brothers, Jay-Z, Johnny Cash, Eazy-E, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Biggie, Michael Jackson, Kanye, Daft Punk, Timbaland, Lil Wayne, Billy Joel, DJ Assault, Damian Marley, Outkast, Rick Springfield, MIA, theme to Rocky (heard him do that blend live…he goes from some bmore club horns to the theme song…ridiculous), Phil Collins, Joan Jett, Beastie Boys and more. It’s okay if you did a double take to that list of artists. Shit is bananas.
Full article after the jump (more…)
This is hands down the best thing T-Pain has done for his career since discovering autotune. This kinda reminds me of Michael Jackson “Leave Me Alone” video from 1987 mixed with a little WALEDANCE.
