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Megan Thee Stallion Makes “HISStory” With New WMG Deal

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It’s been an undoubtedly hectic and exciting few weeks for Megan Thee Stallion. The Houston-born performer unleashed her new single “Hiss,” for one, notably reigniting her longwinded feud with Nicki Minaj. The song has been a massive success and is currently on pace for a No. 1 debut. The success of “Hiss” isn’t the only thing the hitmaker has to be grateful for, however. Recently, Meg also announced that she’s signed a unique new deal with Warner Music Group.

The new deal will allow her to maintain her independence as an artist while the label provides her with “distribution and marketing resources” to propel her forward. “This is the beginning of an exciting new chapter of my life and career,” Megan Thee Stallion told Rolling Stone. “I’m really focused on building an empire and growing as an entrepreneur, so I’m proud to take this next step in my journey and work with Max Lousada and the entire Warner Music Group team in this new capacity. I know we’re going to create history together.”

Read More: Azealia Banks Rips Nicki Minaj To Shreds Amid Megan Thee Stallion Feud

Megan Thee Stallion Maintains Her Independence With New Deal

To celebrate, Meg recently took to Twitter to share some fun celebratory photos, as well as some words of encouragement for fellow artists. “Thank you GOD,” her post begins. “Hotties today HISSTORY was made !!! Today I signed a distribution deal with my new family @warnermusic where I maintain my INDEPENDENCE as an artist anddd OWN MY MASTERS AND PUBLISHING.”

“This is thee first deal of its kind !!!” Meg continued, “I hope artist still on the come up or even artists who are already established never get discouraged by all the obstacles that come with this industry! Even with all the odds against me I fought for MYSELF , the hotties fought for me and @rocnation fought for me!!! I’m forever grateful!!! Let’s REALLY KEEP RUNNING IT UP HOTTIES! Shout out to MAMA HOLLY I know she’s guiding me through all this #HOTGIRLPRODUCTIONS.” What do you think of Megan Thee Stallion signing a new distribution deal with Warner Music Group? What about her encouraging message to fellow artists? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

Read More: Jay-Z’s “Hot Girl Advice” Helps Megan Thee Stallion On Bad Days

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The post Megan Thee Stallion Makes “HISStory” With New WMG Deal appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Why Is UMG Removing Its Artists From TikTok?

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If you’ve been on TikTok anytime in the past couple of days, the odds are high you’ve seen some of your favorite creators fretting about an upcoming change that could result in devastating potentially millions of videos on the platform. If TikTok can’t reach a deal to renew its music licensing agreement with Universal Music Group, the label says it plans to pull its entire catalog from the app, resulting in any video utilizing UMG artists’ songs to be muted, beginning when the agreement expires today. Otherwise, TikTok could open itself to legal liability for copyright infringement. So…

Why Is UMG Removing Its Artists From TikTok?

In an open letter published on the company’s website on Tuesday (January 30), UMG expresses a number of concerns about an ongoing partnership with the app. Chief among them is ensuring fair monetary value for its artists’ work as TikTok seeks to launch its own music-based business (naturally). Meanwhile, UMG also says it has concerns about hate and harassment on the app and TikTok not taking a firm stance when it comes to “AI”-generated works, a controversial topic these days.

UMG alleges that “TikTok proposed paying our artists and songwriters at a rate that is a fraction of the rate that similarly situated major social platforms pay” and that it “demanded a contractual right which would allow [AI] content to massively dilute the royalty pool for human artists.” This is while TikTok itself is developing AI tools that’d make it easier to do so.

Labels under UMG include Interscope and its subsidiaries, the Capitol Music Group umbrella, Republic Records, Island Records, Def Jam, and more. UMG artists include some of the biggest in the world: Ariana Grande, Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, Drake, Elton John, Kendrick Lamar, Post Malone, SZA, Taylor Swift, and more.

However, pulling these acts from TikTok could be risky for the label as well; the app has increasingly become one of the biggest drivers for new singles and artists to gain popularity. For example, JID, who is signed to Dreamville under Interscope, has experienced a massive surge of interest in his song “Surround Sound” due to a TikTok trend in which creators tape their phones to their ceilings and dance under them (it’s sillly, but hey, it works). Meanwhile, older songs often find second lives on the app, such as The Weeknd’s “Die For You” and Miguel’s “Sure Thing.”

TikTok itself pointed this out in its response, telling Billboard, “It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters. Despite Universal’s false narrative and rhetoric, the fact is they have chosen to walk away from the powerful support of a platform with well over a billion users that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent. TikTok has been able to reach ‘artist-first’ agreements with every other label and publisher. Clearly, Universal’s self-serving actions are not in the best interests of artists, songwriters and fans.”

TikTok recently agreed to a licensing deal with Warner Music Group (of which Uproxx is an independent subsidiary) last July, allowing TikTok to use its catalog on the TikTok Music platform, saying that the deal would benefit artists. It remains to be seen how UMG pulling out will affect its business and artists, but TikTok wouldn’t be getting away unscathed, as a huge part of the appeal for its users is supporting their videos with popular music.

Warner Music Group Announces Joint Venture with Elliot Grainge’s 10K Projects

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Warner Music Group has embarked on a significant joint venture with the pioneering Los Angeles-based label, 10K Projects, founded by Elliot Grainge in 2016. Under this agreement, 10K Projects will operate as an autonomous label within the WMG framework, integrating its stellar roster of artists and its innovative team into the WMG family. As 10K Projects continues its expansion, it will draw upon WMG’s investment, expertise, and global infrastructure, including support from ADA. Elliot Grainge will remain the CEO of 10K Projects, leading the company in conjunction with Co-Presidents Zach Friedman and Tony Talamo. Additionally, Grainge will become a member of WMG’s global leadership team.

“Joining Warner Music Group provides us with the backing, the collective expertise and vision to empower our artists and our employees on the next phase of our journey,” said Elliot Grainge, Founder & CEO, 10K. “Max and Robert have been making all the right moves to position WMG for the future in what I think is one of the most fertile and exciting growth periods for the global music business. They have also shown that they value the kind of independent spirit and commitment to artist development that has made 10K successful so far. I know I speak for Zach, Tony and the entire team when I say how excited we are to get started in our new home.”

10K Projects x WMG

“Elliot and 10K don’t just discover original talent, they understand how to ignite fandom and create fresh impact with each release. It’s a label full of next generation possibilities – with its artists, its leader, and its team. As 10K joins our thriving network of independent music brands, we’re committed to giving it the freedom and backing to reach new heights,” said Max Lousada, CEO, Recorded Music, WMG.

“We welcome 10K’s extraordinary artists, its talented founder Elliot, and his entrepreneurial team to WMG. Together, we’ll grow our investment in artistry and accelerate the pace of our innovation,” said Robert Kyncl, CEO, WMG.

10K Projects is renowned for nurturing exceptional talent, housing stars like Trippie Redd, Iann Dior, and Internet Money. Their artist roster boasts established superstars such as 6ix9ine and fast-rising names like Surfaces, demonstrating a diverse musical portfolio. Notably, Grainge was instrumental in signing XXXTENTACION in 2016. In just seven years, 10K Projects has achieved numerous commercial and cultural hits, including over 30 platinum-certified singles.

In 2022, Grainge expanded his influence by incorporating Homemade Projects, further diversifying the label’s offerings and capabilities. Homemade Projects encompasses talent like Surfaces, COIN, and Salem Ilese, as well as an influencer management company and a merchandise operation with notable clients. Zach Friedman and Tony Talamo, co-founders of Homemade Projects, have taken on roles as Co-Presidents of 10K Projects, overseeing A&R, marketing, publicity, and creative for the label.

The post Warner Music Group Announces Joint Venture with Elliot Grainge’s 10K Projects first appeared on The Source.

The post Warner Music Group Announces Joint Venture with Elliot Grainge’s 10K Projects appeared first on The Source.

Janelle Monáe’s Fem The Future Expands Its Capacity To Serve Marginalized Youth Through A New Partnership

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Janelle Monáe received widespread acclaim for her role in Glass Onion and, more recently, dropped “Float,” her boastful, joyous February single. Monáe seemingly had the time of her life while preparing for and participating in this year’s NBA All-Star Celebrity Game despite not quite living up to a self-induced Allen Iverson comparison.

And she wants more people to have access to such positive experiences and opportunity.

On Wednesday, March 22, it was announced that Monáe is entering a partnering with the Warner Music Group/Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund “to expand the programs of her non-profit, Fem The Future, whose mission is to build a fem-forward future by creating opportunities for under-resourced girls and non-binary youth of color in music, the arts, and education,” per press release.

The partnership has been kickstarted by a $150,000 grant, serving “as a pilot for longer-term collaboration.”

“In partnership with the Social Justice Fund, we’re giving girls the chance to own their power — and change the world,” Monáe said in a statement. “The SJF grant will support Fem The Future as it develops programming for girls and non-binary youth and shines light on their talent — helping them build confidence, expand educational opportunities and make informed decisions about their bodies, their lives and their futures. A beautiful future begins with uplifting the next generation of artists, activists and freedom fighters.”

In January, Monáe was honored with the SheHer Award at the Critics Choice Awards. Her acceptance speech is relevant to Wednesday’s news.

“I’m Janelle Monáe, and my pronouns are she/her, they/them, and free-ass motherf*cker,” she said, adding (as relayed by People), “I try to make an effort in my work … to highlight the ones who have been pushed to the margins of society, who’ve been outcast or relegated to ‘the other.’ This is a deeply personal choice for me because I grew up to working-class parents: My mother was a janitor, my father was a trash man, and my grandmother was a sharecropper in Aberdeen, Mississippi.”

Janelle Monáe is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Drink Champs Celebrates New Deal With Warner Music Group

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It has been praised as one of the best Hip Hop podcasts, and Drink Champs is making major moves. Noreaga and DJ EFN’s conversations with the culture’s most influential figures have captivated a global audience. Since 2015, they’ve snagged interviews with the industry’s often elusive elite—including Dave Chappelle, Kanye West, and even Patti LaBelle.

Today (January 12), it was shared that Drink Champs was ushering in a new era. A press release also stated they’ve partnered with Interval Presents, Warner Music Group’s in-house podcasts network. This is a distribution partnership where Interval Presents “gained the exclusive licensing rights to the audio version of the podcast on all major podcast platforms.”

Read More: Diddy Credits “Drink Champs” For Creating A “Whole Industry”

“I’m feeling good about partnering with Interval Presents and joining the all-star team they’ve got,” said Noreaga. He further stated, “We’re ready to take things to the next level for us and the culture at large! Let’s go!!”

DJ EFN added, “We were impressed with the network’s dedication to the culture and the support we’ve received to expand our show to reach new heights allowing us to further pioneer and break barriers in the space!”

Drink Champs has also been earning its fair share of recognition, as well. They won Best Hip-Hop Platform at the BET Hip-Hop Awards last year. Recently, they were nominated for Best Music Podcast for the 2023 iHeartRadio Podcast Awards.

Read More: Joe Budden Rips Noreaga & Revolt Over Kanye’s “Drink Champs” Appearance

“Drink Champs has been at the forefront of cultural conversations for nearly a decade and has created some of the most iconic moments at the intersection of culture and music. They’ve built an incredible platform that we’ve admired from afar, and now we’re incredibly excited to welcome them to Interval Presents,” said Allan Coye, General Manager of Interval Presents and WMG’s Senior Vice President of Digital Strategy & Business Development.

“Our collaboration will focus on further amplifying N.O.R.E. and EFN’s unique and unfiltered approach to storytelling and bringing the show to new podcast listeners.”

Congrats! Revisit Takeoff (RIP) and Quavo’s memorable appearance on Drink Champs below.

Megan Thee Stallion Wants Warner Music To Reveal Who Could Have Leaked ‘Traumazine’

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Megan Thee Stallion wants answers after her second studio album, Traumazine, was leaked early, and she’s demanded information from her label’s distributor to get them. According to Billboard, Meg’s lawyers filed documents in court today asking a judge to order Warner Music Group, the parent company of 300 Entertainment, which distributes Megan’s label 1501 Certified Entertainment, to hand over a list of anyone who was given early access to the album to determine who leaked it.

It’s likely that Megan wants the information to prove that the leak came from 1501 Certified itself due to her ongoing lawsuit against the label to be released from her contract. In the lawsuit, she previously accused 1501 of sabotaging the release while demanding $1 million in allegedly unpaid royalties. Her legal actions have led to a bitter war of words between herself and 1501’s founder Carl Crawford, with occasional dispatches from Houston rap royal J Prince. However, although today’s filing does not accuse WMG of the leak, it does leave open the possibility that the leak did not originate from 1501, in which case, due to the limited nature of the preview links that were shared, there could only be a few suspects — including Warner employees.

“Pete does not, at this time, accuse WMG of intentionally releasing her album, but does believe that receiving documents and communications from WMG related to Traumazine and its release should help discover who improperly leaked her artistic work,” Meg’s lawyers wrote. “In addition to documents and communications, Pete wishes to ascertain who all received access to Traumazine through WMG.”

In addition, she’s asked the court to also compel Cablevision and Datacamp, a pair of internet service providers, to give up the leakers’ IP information.

Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Warner Music Group Celebrates Successful HBCU Immersion Program, Opens Applications for 2022-23 Program

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In conjunction with Culture Creators, Warner Music Group is celebrating the success of its inaugural WMG HBCU Immersion Program.

The pioneering WMG HBCU Immersion Program establishes a strong and diversified pipeline of the smartest and brightest HBCU students to help grow the music industry in the years ahead. The lively and effective six-week program prepares HBCU students for a career in the competitive music industry by giving them the knowledge they need to succeed. The WMG HBCU Immersion Program provides students with a full introduction to the music industry, career development advice, and the opportunity to interact with WMG executives.

The WMG HBCU Immersion Program provides a new path for talented young people through the Culture Creators curriculum, which includes five cutting-edge learning modules: A&R, Marketing, Data Science, Business Development, and Administration & Licensing. Weekly live virtual sessions, interactive learning activities, and guest speaker panels will be held for students. Following completion of the program, students will be eligible to apply for a paid position with Warner Music Group’s Summer Emerging Talent Associate Program, which will allow them to apply what they’ve learned and gain hands-on experience at Atlantic Records, Warner Records, Warner Music Nashville, Rhino, Warner Chappell, and WMX. Subsidies for housing will be available to help people relocate to New York City, Los Angeles, or Nashville.

Last month, the inaugural WMG HBCU Immersion Program was completed with resounding success, with 32 students selected from over 150 applicants. Beginning in January 2023, fresh applications for the WMG HBCU Immersion Program will be accepted. Applicants must be a college junior, senior, or graduate student currently enrolled in an approved HBCU who has a strong interest in music. During the six-week program, students must commit to three hours every week. Visit www.wmg.com/hbcuimmersionprogram for additional details.

“As a proud HBCU alum, I am thrilled about the creation of WMG’s HBCU Immersion Program,” says Dr. Maurice Stinnett, WMG, Global Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. “HBCU’s are full of talent, brilliance, and creativity — everything we need in the next generation of leaders in the music industry. I’m so proud to offer this training opportunity in partnership with Culture Creators, which I know will further strengthen the leadership, skills, and innovation of these amazing students.”

“It’s an honor to be able to support the growth of programs within our industry that create hands on learning and give access to real life opportunities,” says Kevin Weaver, President of Atlantic Records. “Through the program we also get to know these young adults personally, giving Warner Music Group the ability to tap into the next generation of future leaders at the ground floor. From here the potential opportunities are truly endless for all.”

“The key to creating an equitable environment for students of color to learn, grow and rise in the music business relies on executives and companies’ willingness to give them access and support,” says Joi Brown, Founder, Culture Creators and Head of Strategic Partnerships, ICM Partners. “The WMG Immersion program provided access, leadership, education and mentorship, not to mention opportunity to intern across all business units. We’re proud to have been co-conspirators in the program and looking forward to our next cohort of students to run through the program.”

The post Warner Music Group Celebrates Successful HBCU Immersion Program, Opens Applications for 2022-23 Program appeared first on The Source.

Warner Music Invests $750 Million In Female And Diverse Artists With BlackRock

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BlackRock investment management company and Warner Music Group have made a huge investment in female and diverse artists according to The Wall Street Journal, putting $750 million into a fund dedicated to collecting rights catalogs from such artists in what the Journal calls a novel approach to the current trend of funds buying up artists’ catalogs.

While many of those efforts have focused on collecting older artists’ catalogs such as Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen — both of whom recently sold their catalogs for huge payouts — the new fund is buying up music rights from artists who are still actively writing, particularly women, who want to maintain stakes in their catalogs. So far, $300 has been paid out for 20 catalogs, including those of Tainy, the reggaeton star who has worked with Bad Bunny and J Balvin, the Stereotypes, who co-wrote “24K Magic” with Bruno Mars, and popstar Jessie Reyez.

Some commentators, according to WSJ, consider these investments higher risk; while older catalogs have proven to be safe bets — think about how many songs from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s are still being used in movies, let alone other commercial uses — newer music isn’t as sure to still be popular in 20 or 30 years. However, some artists have maintained their popularity, so some investors like BlackRock are willing to go all-in as newer music finds more use in streaming, video games, fitness apps, and social media.

Meanwhile, by allowing songwriters to maintain stakes in their own work, it gives them the incentive to not only accept investors’ terms but keep actively promoting their works to keep the checks rolling in.

Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.