Cash Money’s Birdman andSlim Connected to SexualAssault Lawsuit

Cash Money Records founders
and co-CEOs Baby (also known
as Birdman **) and Slim are
being held accountable for a
sexual assault.
JAY-Z, BEYONCÉ, U2, LADY
GAGA RANK ON BILLBOARD
POWER 100 LIST
Ronald “Slim” Williams and Bryan
“Baby” Williams invited plantiff
Nicole Westmoreland for “a
presentation” with Cash Money
Records at a “rented” recording
studio, according to My Fox
Atlanta [LINK] via Hip-Hop Wired
[LINK].
While in court last week (Jan. 24),
Westmoreland recalled that Cash
Money associate Alfred Cleveland
followed her into the restroom
and sexually assaulted her. “He
bit me on my cheek. I was like… I
tried to pull his hands down and
he turned me around,”
Westmoreland said. “He turned
me around and pulled my jeans
down.”
The Williams brothers deny that
Cleveland was an employee but a
friend.
Westmoreland was reportedly
offered $100,000 in cash to not
report the assault. After she
refused she allegedly faced a
death threat, “if I didn’t drop it
they were going to kill me.”
Although the Williams brothers
weren’t involved in the assault,
Westmoreland is holding them,
Cash Money Records,
accountable. When the record
label’s attorney, Jim Cox, asked if
she believed Slim and Baby knew
the sexual assault was underway
she responded, “I believe Bryan
Williams and Ronald Williams has
to know the rapist was
dangerous.”
Westmoreland under went
treatment at a “mental hopsital”
after encountering suicidal
thoughts. She is seeking
“unspecified financial damages.”
Representative for Birdman and
Slim have yet to respond to our
request for a comment.

M.I.A. Returns with ‘Bad Girls’Single: Listen

Aside from an AMY WINEHOUSE
TRIBUTE SONG and working on
a forthcoming collaboration with
Madonna **, M.I.A. ** remained
fairly quiet in 2011, apparently
hard at work on the follow-up to
2010′s poorly received “/\/\ /\
Y /\.” In anticipation of her
fourth full-length, the singer
released “Bad Girls,” a new single
that is a reworked version of a
track on her “Vicki Leekx”
mixtape.
“Live fast, die young, bad girls do
it well,” M.I.A. sings on the
hypnotic hook, which is unfurled
over a midtempo thump provided
by producer Danja. According to
Pitchfork [LINK], the new version
of “Bad Girls” will hit digital
retailers Tuesday (Jan. 31), and a
video for the song will premiere
on Friday.
M.I.A.’s fourth album is expected
to be released this summer, but
before that, pop fans will hear
the Sri Lankan singer on “Give
Me All Your Luvin,” the first
single from Madonna’s
forthcoming album “M.D.N.A.”
that also features Nicki Minaj **.
On Feb. 3, the song and official
music video will be unveiled **,
and two days later, Madonna will
perform during the halftime show
at Super Bowl XLVI in
Indianapolis. Will M.I.A. and
Minaj join the pop star at the
Super Bowl? Only time will tell.

M.I.A. Confirms Super BowlAppearance

M.I.A. ** will join Madonna **
and Nicki Minaj ** at the Super
Bowl halftime show, the musician
confirmed to the BBC’s Zane
Lowe.
“Yes, I’m going to the Super
Bowl… I’m gonna be performing
with Madonna and Nicki Minaj…
If you’re gonna go to the Super
Bowl, you might as well go with
America’s biggest female icons,”
she said, according to NME
[LINK].
M.I.A. and Minaj will join
Madonna on a performance of
“Give Me All Your Luvin’,” the
Material Girl’s first single from
“M.D.N.A.”
M.I.A. released a SINGLE OF HER
OWN on Monday, “Bad Girls,” a
reworked version of a track from
last year’s “Vicki Leekx” mixtape.

Justin Bieber to Host ‘SaturdayNight Live,’ Says Alec Baldwin

Alec Baldwin just did something
that would certainly anger his “30
Rock” character, NBC exec Jack
Donaghy: He leaked official
network intel. On today’s episode
of Baldwin’s “Here’s The Thing”
podcast on WNYC, the “30 Rock”
actor delves in deep with
“Saturday Night Live” executive
producer Lorne Michaels, and in
the process, reveals that Justin
Bieber will host “SNL” in the
upcoming months.
Setting the scene at Michaels’
office, Baldwin reads off some of
the names that appear on a
board of confirmed “SNL” hosts
this season. Among them is the
Biebs, who previously served as
the musical guest in April 2010
but has never hosted the show.
Michaels confirms Baldwin’s
announcement with a yes, 26
minutes into the podcast [LINK].
Baldwin innocently notes: “The
biggest names in the business are
coming here thirty-something
years [after 'SNL's debut] to host
the show. Ben Stiller, Melissa
McCarthy, [who] won the Emmy
award, and Katy Perry’s coming
and Jimmy Fallon, who’s double-
dipping on your payroll, Jonah
Hill, and I don’t want to ruin any
other names, [but] Bieber’s
confirmed, he’s the music and
the [host].”
Assuming this is true (NBC has
not yet confirmed), Bieber will
follow in the footsteps of fellow
pop star host Katy Perry, who
took the comedy reigns this past
December. Bieber showed off his
acting chops (if you want to call
them that) with a guest spot on
“CSI” in 2010.
Next up on the “SNL” slate is
host Zooey Deschanel with
musical guest Bon Iver on Feb. 4,
followed by Channing Tatum with
musical guests Karmin on Feb.
11.
What do you think? Will Bieber
be able to keep up with the
comedians of “SNL”?

Lil Wayne Debuts ‘Mirror’ Feat.Bruno Mars: Watch

Lil Wayne ** gets introspective
with Bruno Mars ** in the official
video for “Mirror,” the radio-
friendly single from the deluxe
edition of “Tha Carter IV.”
The Antoine Fuqua directed clip
consists of close-ups of both
artists, playing on the idea of
Weezy’s artwork as a cathartic
experience. Weezy splashes red
and black paint all over a room
while fadora-toting Bruno Mars
joins in for a cinematic hook.
Lil Wayne to Release ‘I Am Not
a Human Being 2′ Before
Summer, Birdman Says **
The video comes at a perfect
time. While releasing visuals from
his Billboard 200 No. 1 album,
Birdman ** told Complex that Lil
Wayne is placing the final touches
on “I Am Not a Human Being 2.”
The “ready to go” project is
slated before this summer.

Grammy Producer Talks Adele,McCartney & (Lack of)Boycotts

The Recording Academy uses the
two weeks prior to the Grammy
Awards to announce performers
and presenters and executive
producer Ken Ehrlich says
Thursday should yield a “major
interesting” announcement.
Ehrlich tells Billboard that this
year’s telecast — 8 p.m. Feb. 12
on CBS — will feature 17 or 18
production pieces with about 22
songs being performed.
“Arguably it’s one of the biggest
shows” in the history of the
Grammys, he says.
Ehrlich, who started working on
the telecast in 1984, spoke about
this year’s show, careful to not
reveal any details that will come
out in the next coupe of weeks.
Friday, he says “we might have
another two or three things.
Barring the unseen, I think we’re
done. There’s one thing hanging
out there, but usually by now
we’re done. But you never
know.”
For a while there, the
Grammys trade in stock was
all of the duets. It felt like it
eased up but they have come
back and make more sense
now, like Usher and Justin
Bieber last year. Will that
continue?
What I’ve always tried to do is
raise the bar – Prince and
Beyonce, honoring the Clash with
Bruce Springsteen. Our calling
card has been you have to watch
because there are performances
you have not seen before. Point
of fact, my first show was with
Neil Diamond and Barbra
Streisand doing ‘You Don’t Bring
Me Flowers’ live for the first time.
What really got us doing those
things was when Neil (Portnow)
arrived and he said we should do
more of them. Because the show
is at the end of the awards cycle,
it’s not about putting people on
who you’ve seen elsewhere.
One person who has not made
it on other shows is Adele. Any
word yet on her possible
appearance?
We are in discussions with Adele
and we’re hoping her first
appearance will be on the
Grammys.
You’ve announced a fair
number of performers – a
tribute to Glen Campbell with
the Band Perry and Blake
Shelton, Jason Aldean, Kelly
Clarkson, Coldplay, Rihanna,
Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars,
Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift.
Has the consolidation of
categories to 78 affected who
you can book?
Personally I miss a broader
palette but it has not really
affected us. I was concerned with
regard to the mainstream
categories combining male and
female into performance. I like
the broadest canvas possible
because when I put on a show, I
believe the more the merrier. So
some people not nominated will
be on the show.
When the announcement was
made that there would be
fewer categories there was
talk of protests and boycotts.
Has anyone that you reached
out to said they would not
appear on the show or CBS?
No not one. That brings up a
good point. Paul Simon is a good
friend of mine and he made a
brilliant album and, as a fan, I
think he deserved (a nomination).
I’m disappointed, but I don’t
think the reduction in categories
had anything to do with him not
getting nominated.
In interviews around the time
of the nominations concert in
December, Recording
Academy president and CEO
Neil Portnow said there was
potential for the December
show to take on some of the
February telecast. Did that
occur? The show felt different
from years past.
We finally found our place. We
struggled for a couple of years. It
felt unwieldy in Nokia Theatre
and then we moved it but it was
way too big for the club. After
three years, we said we need to
give it it’s own life. We needed to
mirror the February show so we
put in one of the Grammy Hall of
Fame songs, “The Message,” for
a segment and the response was
great. Nick Ashford and Jerry
Lieber had just passed away and I
thought that once we got to
February we wouldn’t be able to
what we could do (in December)
with Usher and their songwriting
partners (Valerie Simpson and
Mike Stoller). We had Gaga,
Jason Aldean – it was a
miniaturized Grammy show. We
read off five categories — that
was enough. It’s Paul Revere
(saying) it’s Grammy season.
But in doing the show, how
important is it to entertain the
people in the crowd?
To me it has to be better than
the TV show. From the first day I
started, and I guess I’m
antiquated, if the show is good in
the house the viewer experiences
that. I don’t care what the size of
your screen is or whatever point-
one your surround system is or if
you have 3D. If Mick Jagger lights
up that audience, that goes into
peoples’ homes. That’s the joy of
creating this and adding the layer
of TV.
One cool element last year
was the black and white Bruno
Mars performance. Anything
like that this year?
There are four numbers this year
that will probably affect the live
audience that are done with the
TV audience in mind. Paul
McCartney’s singing his new song
‘My Valentine’ that he wrote for
his new wife. It’s exquisite. You
hear ‘Yesterday’ in it vocally -
that’s what the song is. I thought
single camera will make this
better. I want to shoot from a
perspective that harkens back to
a classic look, when there were
only three networks and when
color TV was new. Number one,
it fits the song and two it adds
impact to the song. It’s a chance
to do something I can’t do with
Nicki Minaj.

Adele Officially Confirmed forGrammys Performance

After weeks of speculation, it has
finally been announced that
Adele ** will be performing at
the 54th annual Grammy Awards
on Feb. 12, marking her first live
performance since
UNDERGOING VOCAL SURGERY
LAST YEAR .
“I’m immensely proud to have
been asked to perform at this
year’s GRAMMY Awards,” said
Adele in a statement. “It’s an
absolute honor to be included in
such a night, and for it to be my
first performance in months is
very exciting and of course nerve-
racking, but what a way to get
back into it all.”
The Grammys: Adele, Kanye
West Lead Nominations **
The “Rolling In The Deep”
songstress joins previously-
announced performers Jason
Aldean **, Kelly Clarkson **,
Glen Campbell **, The Band
Perry **, Blake Shelton **,
Coldplay **, Rihanna **, Foo
Fighters **, Bruno Mars **, Paul
McCartney **, Nicki Minaj ** and
Taylor Swift **. LL Cool J ** is
SIGNED ON TO HOST.
TAYLOR SWIFT, NICKI MINAJ,
BRUNO MARS TO PERFORM AT
GRAMMY AWARDS
Earlier today (Jan. 31), Adele
tweeted [LINK] about her
upcoming performance. “Ima be,
Ima be singing at the Grammys.
It’s been so long I started to
forget I was a singer! I can’t wait,
speak soon xx,” she wrote.
The two-time Grammy winner is
nominated for six awards this
year, including Album Of The
Year, Record Of The Year and
Song Of The Year.
GRAMMY PRODUCER TALKS
ADELE, MCCARTNEY & (LACK
OF) BOYCOTTS
The Grammy Awards take place
at the Staples Center in L.A. and
air on Feb. 12 from 8-11:30 p.m.
(ET/PT) on CBS.

Pitbull to Take Home BMI LatinAwards Honor

Pitbull ** will be presented with
the President’s Award at this
year’s BMI Latin Awards, the
event’s top honor.
The March 30 ceremony, held in
Las Vegas, is set to honor the
songwriters and publishers
behind the year’s most successful
Latin music.
PITBULL: THE BILLBOARD
COVER STORY
The Cuban-American rapper
notched a string of hits last year,
including “Give Me Everything” (a
Hot 100 No. 1), the T-Pain
featuring “Hey Baby (Drop It to
the Floor),” “Shake Senora,” and
“Rain Over Me.”
Other awards presented at the
ceremony will include song,
songwriter and publisher of the
year. Previous President’s Awards
have been given to artists
included Juanes and Kike
Santander.

David Guetta Brings NickiMinaj To Life In ‘Turn Me On’Video

Taking a pile of machinery and
building a female rap superstar,
pink hair and all, David Guetta **
flips Nicki Minaj’s ** switch and
literally turns her on in the pair’s
new Frankenstein-esque video for
“Nothing But The Beat” single
“Turn Me On.” Watch below.
Video: David Guetta ft. Nicki
Minaj, “Turn Me On”
The clip begins with Minaj as little
more than a pair of singing lips,
with Guetta tinkering away,
adding mechanical limbs and
bringing the “Superbass” star to
life. She’s then covered in plastic
– all the while singing “Make me
come alive / Come on and turn
me on” — until she resembles a
naked but less-than-anatomically
correct doll.
NICKI MINAJ GETS COLORFUL
IN ‘STUPID HOE’ VIDEO
With a few touches, Minaj is
dressed in a Gothic 19th-century-
inspired gown, parading through
the city with flowing pink hair as
the doll-like townspeople follow
her enviously. Minaj hops on a
black horse and begins to ride
off, as the other dolls beat down
the door of Guetta’s laboratory,
seducing him and ripping off his
human exterior until he’s a doll
himself — uniquely made of
chainmail armor instead of
plastic.
“Turn Me On” follows “Nothing
But The Beat” singles like “Where
Them Girls At,” featuring Minaj
and Flo Rida **, “Without You”
featuring Usher **, and
“Titanium” with Sia **. Minaj’s
upcoming album, “Pink Friday:
Roman Reloaded,” was originally
expected to drop in February,
but the rapper RECENTLY
PUSHED THE RELEASE DATE
BACK to April 3.

‘X Factor’ Exorcism: PaulaAbdul & Nicole ScherzingerOut

The “X Factor” news came fast
and furious on Monday night –
first, that host Steve Jones would
not be returning, then that judge
Nicole Scherzinger was exiting
and finally that Paula Abdul also
would be shown the door. Now
The Hollywood Reporter [LINK]
has learned that all of these
major show decisions are coming
from one key confab being held
in the U.K.
According to a show source, a
series of X” Factor” season 2
offsite meetings are currently
taking place wherein show
creator Simon Cowell has
assembled his team and creative
brain-trust for a postmortem. The
purpose: detailing what went
wrong and what was done right
on season 1 of the Fox singing
competition.
Among the brash verdicts, says
the source: that Abdul’s role was
seen as “irrelevant to the mix,” in
part through no fault of her own
(as mentor to the groups, her
contestants were picked off early
in the competition).
Still, Abdul was not without her
controversies on the show. Many
blamed her for the dismissal of
show favorite Rachel Crow,
precipitated by advice Abdul gave
to Scherzinger to let the decision
be made by the public vote.
America then sent the 13-year-
old packing.
As for Jones and Scherzinger,
another show insider says the “X
Factor” host was notified by a
show producer around 7:30pm
on Monday evening that his
option was not being picked up.
(Cowell did not call Jones
personally to deliver the news.)
Soon after, Scherzinger was
informed that her contract also
would not be renewed. The host
and judge did not receive an
explanation for the decision, but
a source close to the show says
Cowell has decided that the show
needs a bigger celebrity on the
panel next season.
A source says LA Reid, the fourth
judge on the “X Factor” panel,
has not been informed of any
change to his status as judge.
Representatives for Fox, Abdul
and Fremantle have not
responded to THR’s request for
confirmation of the shake-up on
the show.

‘X Factor’ Exorcism: PaulaAbdul & Nicole ScherzingerOut

The “X Factor” news came fast
and furious on Monday night –
first, that host Steve Jones would
not be returning, then that judge
Nicole Scherzinger was exiting
and finally that Paula Abdul also
would be shown the door. Now
The Hollywood Reporter [LINK]
has learned that all of these
major show decisions are coming
from one key confab being held
in the U.K.
According to a show source, a
series of X” Factor” season 2
offsite meetings are currently
taking place wherein show
creator Simon Cowell has
assembled his team and creative
brain-trust for a postmortem. The
purpose: detailing what went
wrong and what was done right
on season 1 of the Fox singing
competition.
Among the brash verdicts, says
the source: that Abdul’s role was
seen as “irrelevant to the mix,” in
part through no fault of her own
(as mentor to the groups, her
contestants were picked off early
in the competition).
Still, Abdul was not without her
controversies on the show. Many
blamed her for the dismissal of
show favorite Rachel Crow,
precipitated by advice Abdul gave
to Scherzinger to let the decision
be made by the public vote.
America then sent the 13-year-
old packing.
As for Jones and Scherzinger,
another show insider says the “X
Factor” host was notified by a
show producer around 7:30pm
on Monday evening that his
option was not being picked up.
(Cowell did not call Jones
personally to deliver the news.)
Soon after, Scherzinger was
informed that her contract also
would not be renewed. The host
and judge did not receive an
explanation for the decision, but
a source close to the show says
Cowell has decided that the show
needs a bigger celebrity on the
panel next season.
A source says LA Reid, the fourth
judge on the “X Factor” panel,
has not been informed of any
change to his status as judge.
Representatives for Fox, Abdul
and Fremantle have not
responded to THR’s request for
confirmation of the shake-up on
the show.

‘X Factor’ Exorcism: PaulaAbdul & Nicole ScherzingerOut

The “X Factor” news came fast
and furious on Monday night –
first, that host Steve Jones would
not be returning, then that judge
Nicole Scherzinger was exiting
and finally that Paula Abdul also
would be shown the door. Now
The Hollywood Reporter [LINK]
has learned that all of these
major show decisions are coming
from one key confab being held
in the U.K.
According to a show source, a
series of X” Factor” season 2
offsite meetings are currently
taking place wherein show
creator Simon Cowell has
assembled his team and creative
brain-trust for a postmortem. The
purpose: detailing what went
wrong and what was done right
on season 1 of the Fox singing
competition.
Among the brash verdicts, says
the source: that Abdul’s role was
seen as “irrelevant to the mix,” in
part through no fault of her own
(as mentor to the groups, her
contestants were picked off early
in the competition).
Still, Abdul was not without her
controversies on the show. Many
blamed her for the dismissal of
show favorite Rachel Crow,
precipitated by advice Abdul gave
to Scherzinger to let the decision
be made by the public vote.
America then sent the 13-year-
old packing.
As for Jones and Scherzinger,
another show insider says the “X
Factor” host was notified by a
show producer around 7:30pm
on Monday evening that his
option was not being picked up.
(Cowell did not call Jones
personally to deliver the news.)
Soon after, Scherzinger was
informed that her contract also
would not be renewed. The host
and judge did not receive an
explanation for the decision, but
a source close to the show says
Cowell has decided that the show
needs a bigger celebrity on the
panel next season.
A source says LA Reid, the fourth
judge on the “X Factor” panel,
has not been informed of any
change to his status as judge.
Representatives for Fox, Abdul
and Fremantle have not
responded to THR’s request for
confirmation of the shake-up on
the show.

‘X Factor’ Exorcism: PaulaAbdul & Nicole ScherzingerOut

The “X Factor” news came fast
and furious on Monday night –
first, that host Steve Jones would
not be returning, then that judge
Nicole Scherzinger was exiting
and finally that Paula Abdul also
would be shown the door. Now
The Hollywood Reporter [LINK]
has learned that all of these
major show decisions are coming
from one key confab being held
in the U.K.
According to a show source, a
series of X” Factor” season 2
offsite meetings are currently
taking place wherein show
creator Simon Cowell has
assembled his team and creative
brain-trust for a postmortem. The
purpose: detailing what went
wrong and what was done right
on season 1 of the Fox singing
competition.
Among the brash verdicts, says
the source: that Abdul’s role was
seen as “irrelevant to the mix,” in
part through no fault of her own
(as mentor to the groups, her
contestants were picked off early
in the competition).
Still, Abdul was not without her
controversies on the show. Many
blamed her for the dismissal of
show favorite Rachel Crow,
precipitated by advice Abdul gave
to Scherzinger to let the decision
be made by the public vote.
America then sent the 13-year-
old packing.
As for Jones and Scherzinger,
another show insider says the “X
Factor” host was notified by a
show producer around 7:30pm
on Monday evening that his
option was not being picked up.
(Cowell did not call Jones
personally to deliver the news.)
Soon after, Scherzinger was
informed that her contract also
would not be renewed. The host
and judge did not receive an
explanation for the decision, but
a source close to the show says
Cowell has decided that the show
needs a bigger celebrity on the
panel next season.
A source says LA Reid, the fourth
judge on the “X Factor” panel,
has not been informed of any
change to his status as judge.
Representatives for Fox, Abdul
and Fremantle have not
responded to THR’s request for
confirmation of the shake-up on
the show.

happy b day alicia

alicia keys is turning 31 today happy birthday sweetie

Trey Songz Finishing Up ‘Chapter V’ Album Before Winter Tour

trey-songz
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Trey Songz
/artist/big-sean/1343392
Big Sean
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Trey Songz Cuts an EP, Films ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ & Preps For Tour

Currently between albums, Trey Songz drops two mixtapes, cuts an EP, films part in ‘Texas Chainsaw’ movie and gears up for a tour.

Before he embarks on his Anticipation 2our headlining trek next month, Trey Songz hopes to put the finishing touches on “Chapter V,” the full-length follow-up to 2010′s “Passion, Pain & Pleasure.”

“I’m finishing the album now, actually,” the R&B author of hits like “Bottoms Up” and “Say Aah” tells Billboard.com. “I’m currently in Miami, and I have one more week until [tour] rehearsals, so that’s when I switch to full ‘tour mode’. The tour’s been very prevalent in my mind, but the record and making sure the album’s complete have been on my mind as well.”

Songz started work on “Chapter V” last June and hunkered down in the studio over the past month and a half to focus on his fifth studio album. The singer does not have a time frame for the album’s release, but believes that the finished disc will offer a change of pace.

“I’m definitely trying to leap forward with every album, and with this album, I think it’s a leap forward and a leap into the past,” says Songz, who also released a new EP, “Inevitable,” last year. “I want to embody in this album — this fifth album, which is very monumental for me — what I am, where I came from and where I’m going. I… just think it’s going to be very fluent, very diverse yet very cohesive album.”

In the meantime, Songz hopes to give back to his diehard fans with the Anticipation 2our, which will feature the singer performing material from his “Anticipation II” and “#LemmeHolDatBeat2″ mixtapes, which were released last November. The 18-date run, which kicks off on Feb. 9 in Cleveland, marks the first time Songz has toured behind a mixtape, and he plans to showcase his deep cuts that usually aren’t played during album runs.

“If I can go out and do 5,000-7,000 seats off a mixtape, and make it an intimate experience where I’m performing records the fans have never heard performed before, it’s a treat for the people who really hold you down as an artist,” says Songz. Big Sean is slated to open for Songz on the trek, and the singer is thrilled to have the G.O.O.D. Music MC as support. “He’s got a whole new vibe, from the way he dresses to the way he raps. He’s like a character, and he has a lot of people behind him,” says Songz of Big Sean.

Songz is also looking forward to the October 2012 release of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D,” a new version of the slasher classic in which he stars as the lead love interest. “It’s a horror film, and those are fun to shoot,” says Songz of his first major foray into acting. What are some of the singer’s personal horror faces? “‘Saw I,’ ‘The Last House on the Left,’ and ‘The Kill List,’” he says. “Real creepy shit.”

Jay-Z, Beyonce, U2, Lady Gaga Rank on Billboard Power 100 List

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lady gaga
Mariano Vivanco
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U2
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Jay-Z
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Taylor Swift
/artist/lady-gaga/1003999
Lady Gaga

You may not know Irving Azoff by face, or even by name, but rest assured that the chairman of Live Nation ­– the world’s largest promoter, ticketing company and artist management group — is the most powerful person in the music industry. Azoff topped the first-ever Billboard Power 100 list, a ranking of where power and influence resides in the music business and the industries that intersect with it. While most of the executives on the list are behind-the-scenes power players like Azoff, there are 11 names that even casual music fans will instantly recognize.

The power couple of Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter and Beyonce Knowles is ranked collectively at No. 13 on the list. As artists, both have enjoyed remarkable successes: He holds the record for the most No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, topping that chart with 12 albums and selling 28 million units in the U.S. along the way, according to Nielsen SoundScan, while she has racked up sales of more than 29 million units from sales of her solo albums and as part of Destiny’s Child.

Billboard Power 100

See the Full List

But the Billboard Power 100 list is about more than album and ticket sales; the artists featured are all actively involved in making impactful business decisions for their careers. In the case of Beyonce, she has recently been behind multi-million-dollar branding deals with L’Oreal, Coty and Target, and her clothing line House of Dereon continues to boast an international presence. Meanwhile, Jay-Z is one of the most celebrated artists to make the jump from the stage to the boardroom. He served as CEO of Def Jam Records and, in 2008, brokered a deal with Live Nation (said to be worth $150 million) to create Roc Nation, a management, music and entertainment company with a roster that includes Rihanna, J. Cole, Willow Smith and Ester Dean. His interests outside of music (Rocawear, Translation Advertising and stakes in 40/40 Club and the New Jersey Nets) have also grabbed headlines and helped to feed his bottom line.

Moving from hip-hop to rock, U2 and their manager Paul McGuinness rank at No. 27 on the list. According to Billboard Boxscore, U2′s 360° tour grossed $736,421,586, earning it a place in the record books as the most successful concert tour in history. It’s a feat not likely to be matched anytime soon.

Singer/songwriters Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald and Martin Karl “Max Martin” Sandberg are ranked at nos. 30 and 83 respectively. Both have written and produced seemingly more hits than anybody else in the last seven years. Their credits separately and together include chart-toppers recorded by Katy Perry, P!nk, Adam Lambert, Avril Lavigne, Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, Taio Cruz, Ke$ha, Backstreet Boys and Miley Cyrus.

Since 2000, Bon Jovi — the biggest self-managed music act in the world — has sold 13 million tickets and grossed nearly $1 billion at the box office (according to Billboard Boxscore). Not only does frontman Jon Bon Jovi, who ranks at no. 50, take the helm onstage, he runs the business of the band behind the scenes as well. Those who work with the New Jersey native tout his drive and business instincts nearly as often as his songs and vocal chops.

“American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest comes in at No. 64, largely for his syndicated, daily Clear Channel radio show “On Air,” heard in more than 150 markets, his eight-plus-year run as host of “American Top 40″ and his production company at NBC Universal. Potentially most significant to Seacrest’s power is his new alliance with well-known businessman Mark Cuban, Creative Artists Agency and AEG to reshape HDNet into a new pop network (slated to called AXS TV) that will cater to pop-culture and entertainment enthusiasts.

Lorne Michaels (no. 66) reigns as the executive producer of “Saturday Night Live” and “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” Lately, “SNL” has played a role in the recent successes of artists like Nicki Minaj, the Black Keys and Arcade Fire, and millions tuned in for the show’s Christmas episode with Michael Bublé. Meanwhile, “Fallon” has given star-turns to up-and-coming acts like Odd Future and Bon Iver, and the show has devoted entire weeks to celebrating the music of iconic bands such as Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd, becoming the musical juggernaut of late-night TV.

Coming in at no. 78, Taylor Swift, who owns her own management company, has become a branding powerhouse as well as a chart-topping singer and songwriter. Her deals include a retail partnership with Target, a multimillion-dollar ad campaign and tour sponsorship with CoverGirl, a fragrance with Elizabeth Arden and a relationship with Sony Electronics. She has also designed her own clothing line for Walmart, appeared in ads for the National Hockey League and co-created her own doll, to boot.

Likewise, Lady Gaga (no. 84) has more going for her than music sales. Gaga, who is actively involved in her career decisions, seems to revolutionize everything she touches. Specifically, as her 18.4 million Twitter followers can attest, the Mother Monster has turned the idea of social marketing on its head; without her Little Monsters, there would be no Beliebers for Justin Bieber or Barbs for Nicki Minaj. Gaga’s influence with fans has been entirely transformed through her branding deals. When Virgin Mobile sponsored her tour, for example, she worked the company into the show itself by way of a nightly phone call to a fan in the audience. Gaga also serves as the creative director for the Polaroid Grey Label and made a headline-grabbing presentation for the line at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show.

Rounding out the list, Simon Cowell comes in at No. 100. With “American Idol” behind him, Cowell’s “X Factor” flexed its muscles in 2011, launching five finalists from the British show’s seventh season as potential global artists and landing the show on the air in the United States. Cowell’s involvement in televised music competitions makes them ratings successes, and his combination of taste, honesty and snark makes people in the desirable 18-34 demo tune in week after week.

Diddy To LaunchCable Network

Hip hop mogul Sean ‘Diddy’
Combs is set to blaze a trail in
the music television
entertainment by launching his
own music-themed cable
network.
We’re told the new cable
network will be called ‘Revolt’,
and will target largely the
African-American community;
and official launching is
tentatively set for year end,
around December of 2012.
The network will have an
estimated viewing base of about
18 million homes.
Television content providers,
Comcast, is apparently involved
and is even set to launch their
own African-American themed
network around the same time
as Diddy’s.
The richest figure in hip hop,
according to recent rankings by
Forbes magazine, Mr Combs is
also a writer, actor, arranger,
clothing designer, and Broadway
actor, and oversees a business
empire worth about $500
million.

NETPod: K’naanAnd Nas Have‘Nothing To Lose’

K’Naan has always treaded the
line of true African sound.
His 2009 album ‘Troubadour’
produced the anthem ‘Wavin
flag’ which was eventually used
as the theme song for the 2010
World Cup held in South Africa.
This was his big break into the
mainstream.
Three years later, the Somalia-
Canadian rapper will be
releasing his first EP ‘More
Beautiful than Silence’ on
January 24. The first single
‘Nothing to Lose’ which features
fellow rapper Nas is a blend of
alternative music, folklore and
rap. Good listen too.

Is StephanieOkereke Tying theKnot In Paris?

Is the Kanakelon Hair brand
Ambassador, Stephanie
Onyekachi Okereke planning
to tie the nuptial knot in the
‘City of Love’, Paris? The answer,
we’re told, is yes even though
we don’t have full details yet.
Since Linus Idahosa, the
Managing Director of Del York
International, a media and
communication Company,
publicly engaged the sexy
actress in October, 2010, there
have been a lot of ruse
concerning the romantic affair.
Speculations that the AMAA
nominee has picked a date for
some time in February, 2012 to
hold the ceremony have been
going around. And efforts to
confirm whether the Member of
Federal Republic of Nigeria
(MFR) has picked a date has
proved abortive as E-mails sent
to her reps had not been
replied as at the time of this
report.
However, during an interview
with the Nollywood actress
granted mid last year with
Entertainment Express, she said,
‘… There are different stages in
marriage plans, the ones I want
you to know, you will definitely
know… It’s my private life let me
hold on to it. I have everybody
asking when, when and when?
But the thing is when I’m ready,
I will tell you.’
There upcoming wedding will be
Stephanie’s second. She was
initially married to a former
super eagles
footballer Chikelue Iloenuosi in
August 2004. Marraige was
officially dissolved in January
2007.

Kate Moss ChosenAs New Face OfMango

US super model Kate Moss has
been chosen as the face of
Spanish fashion brand Mango.
The celebrity hottie who turned
38 on January 16 this year,
according to Mango execs, was
chosen because ‘she is a world-
famous fashion icon, making her
one of the most sought-after
models in the fashion world’.
Moss already appeared in a
video ad for the brand, in which
she robbed a store in Paris
alongside Terry Richardson.
Moss now joins the likes of
Olivia Palermo, Penelope
Cruz, Claudia
Schiffer and Scarlett
Johansson.

Jackson KidsImmortalise LateDad!

As part of efforts to promote
Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Michael
Jackson: The immortal ’ world
tour, children of the late king of
pop immortalized their famous
dad by making handprints and
footprint impressions
of Michael Jackson in the
concrete just outside of
Grauman’s Chinese Theater in
Hollywood.
Prince, Paris and Blanket Jackson
used their father’s shoes and a
sequined glove to render the
impression, while celebrities,
including Justin Bieber watched.
Stars who have been
immortalized in this manner
include; Fred Astaire,
Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn
Monroe, Sidney Poitier among
others, since the tradition
started in 1928.
The Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Michael
Jackson The Immortal World
Tour,’ is expected to make its
Los Angeles debut Friday night
and will be attended by family
members of the late King of
Pop, including mom Katherine
Jackson, brothers Tito, Marlon
and Jackie Jackson, original
members of the Jackson 4, for
the show.
The celebrity guest list includes
William ‘Smokey’ Robinson,
Chris Tucker , members of the
cast of ‘Glee’, and Quincy
Jones, according to organizers.
Prince, Paris and Blanket Jackson
have been more in the public
eye recently as against their
much shielded lives before their
father’s 2009 death.
The ‘Immortal’ show is touring
the United States and Canada
through this year before taking
up residency in Las Vegas.

Ne-Yo Joins Motown Roster,Also Appointed Senior VP ofA&R

Singer/songwriter Ne-Yo ** is
moving from Def Jam to Motown
Records, the company told
Billboard.biz exclusively today. In
addition, the Grammy Award-
winning artist will bring his
Compound Entertainment imprint
to the venerable label and take
on a creative role at Motown as
senior VP of A&R.
In that role, Ne-Yo will serve as a
producer and mentor to the
label’s artists and also discover
and sign new talent. Ne-Yo, who
co-stars in the current George
Lucas-produced film “Red Tails”
about the Tuskegee Airmen
fighter pilots, will appear on the
upcoming season of NBC-TV’s “
The Voice” as a mentor for Cee
Lo Green’s team. Ne-Yo will mark
his debut as a Motown artist with
his fifth studio album, slated for
this summer.
“His track record of success at
Def Jam will always be a
benchmark,” says Universal
Republic and Island Def Jam
Motown chairman/CEO Barry
Weiss in a statement announcing
the news. “But this move to
Motown will provide new and
inspiring challenges for Ne-Yo as
both an artist and a key member
of the new senior management
team that is taking form at the
label in 2012.”
Ne-Yo’s move to Motown marks
the latest step in the revitalization
of the Universal Music Group
division. Ethiopia Habtemariam
was appointed senior VP of
Motown, formerly headed by
president Sylvia Rhone, last
September. She concurrently
serves as executive VP/head of
urban music for Universal Music
Publishing Group.
“We are committed to
discovering, developing and
nurturing R&B/soul superstars
here at Motown,” says
Habetemariam in the co-
announcement with Weiss. “In
Ne-Yo we have both a global
superstar and arguably one of
the best songwriters in music. His
presence on the executive team
only strengthens our commitment
to be the very best in R&B.”
Ne-Yo added, “I’m honored that
I¹ve been given such a prestigious
title and trusted with such
responsibility; terrified because I
know that playing this role in the
fashion of one of my career role
models, Mr. Smokey Robinson –
these are big shoes to fill. But
trust, I can handle it.”
Coming off a No. 1 Hot 100 hit
last year as a featured guest on
Pitbull’s “Give Me
Everything” (also featuring
Afrojack and Nayer), Ne-Yo
released four albums during his
Def Jam tenure. With cumulative
U.S. sales of 4.3 million,
according to Nielsen SoundScan,
the four include: 2010′s “Libra
Scale,” 2008′s “Year of the
Gentleman,” 2007′s “Because of
You” and 2006′s “In My Own
Words.” The two latter albums
were both No. 1 debuts on the
Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-
Hop Albums. His hit singles
includes “Miss Independent” –
which netted Ne-Yo Grammy
Awards for Best R&B Song and
Best Male R&B Vocal
Performance – “Closer” and
“Mad.”

Lady Gaga’s Parents OpenItalian Restaurant

A new Italian restaurant plans to
take customers to the edge of
ravioli.
Joseph and Cynthia Germanotta,
the parents of Lady Gaga **, have
opened a Manhattan restaurant,
Joanne Trattoria, the New York
Times reports [LINK].
Some fans have already sought it
out thanks to a Gaga appearance
there on New Year’s Eve, but her
parents are hoping the eatery
won’t be overwhelmed with her
millions of little monsters.
“One tweet and it’s over,”
Cynthia told the Times.
Instead, Joanne will offer more of
a neighborhood feel, albeit one
with $25-$30 entrees.
“If they’re expecting to come in
here and see Grammys and
pictures and stuff like that, it’s
not going to happen,” Joseph
said, adding that his daughter
“generates a lot of sizzle.”
Gaga told ABC News in
November that “My dad and I
opened up a restaurant
together,” but her father told the
Times that the singer is in fact not
an owner of the new eatery.
That’s not to say Gaga’s not in a
family business: her nonprofit,
the Born This Way Foundation,
features Cynthia as a co-founder.
The new foundation will launch
with an event at Harvard
University on Feb. 29.

Chris Brown Releases ‘Turn UpThe Music’ Single: Listen

Chris Brown ** offered an array
of different sounds with the
singles off his 2011 album
“F..A.M.E.,” from gentle R&B
(“No B.S.”) to rapid-fire hip-hop
(“Look At Me Now”) to brightly
colored dance (“Beautiful
People”). “Turn Up The Music,”
the first single from Brown’s
forthcoming album “Fortune,”
was released on Thursday (Jan.
26) and squarely exists in his
“Yeah 3x” mode, with the singer
presenting another energetic pop
banger.
Produced and written by The
Underdogs, “Turn Up The Music”
features squelchy synthesizers
blasting off over canned
percussion, and the R&B singer
leading a handful of simple
chants. Brown even gives a head-
nod to LMFAO **’s latest Hot 100
chart-topper by repeating, “If
you’re sexy and you know it, put
your hands up in the air!” And,
like “Sexy and I Know It,” “Turn
Up The Music” sounds like a big,
fat hit.
“Turn Up The Music” will impact
digital music providers on Feb.
14, and while “Fortune” does not
yet have a release date, but is
expected to hit stores in the first
quarter of 2012. Last week,
Brown revealed that Nas **
would be featured on his fifth
studio full-length.
Earlier this month, Brown’s
manager told Billboard that the
singer will not be doing interviews
anytime soon, which will allow
him “to concentrate on
performing and recording.”
Meanwhile, the rumors that he
and Rihanna ** are engaging a
secret romance persist, although
Brown’s rep has denied the
rumors.

Lil Wayne to Release ‘I Am Nota Human Being 2′ BeforeSummer, Birdman Says

Young Money plans to take over
2012. From Tyga **’s “Careless
World: Rise of the Last
King” (Feb. 21) to Nicki Mina **j’s
much anticipated sophomore
album, “Pink Friday: Roman
Reloaded,” (April 3) more than
half of the chart-stopping crew
have projects underway.
NICKI MINAJ PUSHES BACK
‘PINK FRIDAY: ROMAN
RELOADED’ ALBUM
Lil Wayne ** has a few projects in
the bag himself. Birdman ** tells
Complex [LINK] that Wayne’s “I
Am Not a Human Being 2,” is
“ready to go.”
“It’s gonna be before the
summer for sure. We haven’t
picked the date yet…. He’s
definitely got an album done and
ready to go. Wayne works a lot.
There’s no telling [if 'Rebirth 2'
will happen]. But I know for sure
we’ve got “I Am Not a Human
Being 2″ ready to go. That’s the
next project.”
Weezy has also been laying down
tracks for his collaborative album
with Juelz Santana **, “I Can’t
Feel My Face,” and “Like Father,
LIke Son,” with Baby. The projects
won’t show face, though, till both
bless their fans with their solo
projects.
“Wayne wants to do the ‘I Am
Not a Human Being 2′ and I want
to do my solo album too ['Bigger
Than Life'], so we’ll probably do
that ['Like Father, Like Son'] later
on,” Birdman says.