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Lyor Cohen Talks Reviving the Music Industry at Cannes Lions

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None of the millennials watching 6’5” Lyor Cohen, once dissed as the “tall Israeli” by rapper Mos Def in a controversial 2004 song, glide graciously onstage at Cannes Lions Tuesday could imagine what it was like to interview him at Def Jam in the mid-1990s.

Cohen, 59, clad in pressed jeans, a crisp white shirt and navy blue jacket, first seemed like the avuncular and soft-spoken headmaster of a New England prep school as he took questions from BBC Radio 1 deejay Annie Mac.

In his latest incarnation as YouTube’s global music head — a gig he convincingly made sound like his most exciting ever — he said the company’s new streaming music app signals “a new love affair” for the music industry after two decades of somnolence.

And, in other words, watch out, Apple and Spotify.

“It’s an incredible time to be in music,” he said. “Did you see Beyonce destroy Coachella? It was mind-boggling what she did. You saw it on Youtube. We’re better than OK right now. Fortunes are gonna get made.”

Then he beamed and waved at the crowd like a pageant winner which, given his lengthy and legendary career as a kingmaker in hip-hop, he kind of is.

YouTube Music and YouTube Music premium streaming subscription services launched in another 11 countries Monday.

Record labels? They may remain relevant for awhile, said Cohen, who built the biggest label in rap and went on to head Warner Music, but they’ll need him as a bridge to the direct-to-consumer creative world, i.e. YouTube and Google.

Cohen faces daunting challenges. The music industry hates YouTube for low artist royalties and unauthorized uploading of copyrighted music.

But Cohen’s enthusiasm at Cannes was such that you wanted believe the guy who apparently swaggered straight out of the womb, whose bulletproof self-confidence has rarely waned.

Back in the day, when he deigned to let me interview him at Def Jam’s offices in New York, Cohen played the thug better than his biggest gangsta rappers. He stared at me like a professional assassin, flanked by two equally fearsome-looking bodyguards. Smiles were not cracked, love was not given, jokes were not made.

But Cohen’s long since broken character to become YouTube’s super salesman. He said Tuesday that the era of frustrated and unrealized artists “living with their parents” for two decades is ending and the industry — and the world — better seize the moment.

“As the business expands, are we just going to relive and have PTSD about two decades of decline, or are we going to figure out how to grow the business and find more Jay-Z’s and Kurt Cobains and Aretha Franklins?”

Cohen answered his own question.

“Everything is aligned,” he said. “We have the largest and greatest in-depth catalog in the world.”

[via THR]

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Behind Closed Doors: Nas Opens Up About the Events that Led to Cutting Ties with R. Kelly

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Photos by Harry Borden, Ron Galella/Getty Images

In the world of music collaborations, there are some that stand out as iconic moments in history. One such collaboration was between the legendary rapper Nas and the talented R&B artist R. Kelly on the remix of Nas’s hit song “Street Dream.” This remix, known as the “Street Dream Remix,” brought together two powerhouse artists from different genres to create a musical masterpiece that still resonates with fans today.

In 1996, the Queensbridge rapper Nas was one of the hottest artists in the urban music industry. That year he released his second studio album “It Was Written” with standout singles “If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)” and “Street Dreams”. The album was a commercial success, selling 270,000 copies in its first week and debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart.

The second single “Street Dreams” brought together Nas and R. Kelly for an epic remix that was change Hip Hop forever. This collaboration seamlessly bridged the realms of hip-hop and R&B, forging a unique connection between disparate musical spheres. It not only captivated a diverse array of fans but also highlighted the artistic flexibility of Nas and R Kelly, setting a new standard for future music collaborations. The “Street Dream Remix” emerged as a cultural phenomenon, propelling the artists into the limelight and solidifying their influence in their respective genres.

The music video was shot by Hype Williams in September 1996 and R. Kelly was so impressed by the collaboration he wanted to build a working relationship with Nas. R. Kelly also wanted to record a joint double album with Nas so they could cross promote a multi-city tour and marketing events.

Unfortunately this major moment in hip hop history would never happen, due to R. Kelly. Nas was featured on the remix version of “Did You Ever Think” from Kelly’s 1999 “R” album, but they recorded together again. Watch the video below from our friend Karceno4Life to find out more:

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Bruno Mars Allegedly Has $50 Million Gambling Debt With MGM Casino

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Photo courtesy of The Brand Guild

Bruno Mars might be in some hot water with MGM.

The “24K Magic” singer announced a multi-year residency with MGM Resorts International in 2016, performing at the hospitality giant’s Park MGM resort in Las Vegas.

However, the relationship between the 38-year-old and the hospitality giant may have gone sour as the singer’s gambling has allegedly racked up large debts at the poker tables in Las Vegas, according to NewsNation.

“He owed millions to the MGM,” a Vegas insider told the outlet.

Another source added that the debt is as high as $50 million.

“[MGM] basically own him. He makes $90 million a year off of the deal he did with the casino, but then he has to pay back his debt,” added the insider, claiming that the singer only makes $1.5 million per night after taxes.

Part of Mars’ MGM contract reportedly included the creation of The Pinky Ring, a cocktail lounge inside the Bellagio Resort. NewsNation reports that another project is in the works as well.

[Read More via Complex]

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Steve Stoute Blames Dame Dash For Jay-Z, Roc-A-Fella Records Break Up

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Steve Stoute is talking about what caused the downfall of Jay-Z and Dame Dash’s friendship and working relationship—and Dame has something to say about it.

On the latest episode of Club Shay Shay, the music executive recalled how Dame, now 52, and Hov, 54, couldn’t keep Roc-A-Fella Records afloat. According to Stoute, Dame “blew it,” and it’s incredible how he did that, especially when he had Jay-Z, “the most important artist of his generation,” in his corner. Host Shannon Sharpe specifically asked how “that relationship that was so good sour so fast.”

“Dame’s antics, were just, it became—people over time, you mature,” 53-year-old Stoute said. “It’s like you have friends at 16, but by the time you turn 19, they were still doing the same shit when you were 16. … You start spending less and less time with them because of that.” 

Our podcast FRSHOUT Hip Hop breaks down the recent damning comments from Steve Stoute on Dame Dash.


[Watch the full clip @ FRSHOUT Hip Hop]

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