[Roman Reloaded Review]

Artist(s): The Throne (Jay-Z and Kanye West)
Date: December 5th, 2011
Venue: Toyota Center, Houston, TX

I’ve always wondered why anyone would pay $200 for a concert ticket. I concede that I’m taking this stance from a position of privilege, since I never have to pay for tickets. I don’t know why, that’s just the way it is. Still, $200? Anyway, I was lucky enough to watch two of the greatest performers of any genre, Jay-Z and Kanye West, occupy the same stage. I saw everything that night except a dancing unicorn.

I saw Andre Johnson at the bar. I saw Arian Foster. I saw Johnny Dang in a beige suit 11 times his size. I saw a friendly Asian kid scoff at the idea of a photo op with Johnny Dang. “Who the hell wants to take a picture with Johnny Dang?” he laughed. “That sh-t cray.”

I now know what a $13 margarita tastes like and would like my money back, please. Precisely, I now know what a $13 margarita that required a 30-minute wait tastes like. I waited so long that the friendly Asian kid who laughed at Johnny Dang stepped in and politely urged the bartender who had a round face like a baby’s that I had been waiting since, like, forever, and it would be nice if the bartender, whom I’ll now christen Baby Face, would kindly consider taking my order at some point. I was fine with the wait until Baby Face finally agreed to take my order ten minutes after all of Houston begged him to do so and casually reemerged with a large glass of water.

“What’s this?” I asked, befuddled beyond words.
“So you didn’t want water?”
“Hey man, why would I wait 30 minutes for water?”

I witnessed as Baby Face shook his head over and over and poured some stuff into a plastic cup, mixing up my margarita, muttering gibberish.

I missed the opening song, but I could hear “H.A.M.” blasting out of the building. I made it back to my seat just in time for the second song, “Who Gon’ Stop Me.”

I saw Toyota Center do things I didn’t know it was capable of doing. I saw it magically produce two ginormous cube-shaped platforms from nowhere. I saw Jay-Z and Kanye West mount each cube tentatively as the giant cubes rose slowly to about 25 feet in the sky. Holy Smokes. Don’t fall, dudes.

I saw metronomic bursts of flames the size of Bow Wow, some of them perfectly timed to coincide with the bass during “P.S.A.” and the word “power” during “Power.” I saw stock footage of a soaring eagle and a winking tiger. I saw a jungle cat chase, catch, and kill its prey during “Welcome to the Jungle.” I saw a closeup shot of that one Klan baby from True Blood’s title sequence staring creepily into the camera while Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” played in the background.

I saw a man in a Watch the Throne shirt, dark shades and leather gloves emulate Kanye’s every move, hand isometrics and all. I saw boots in every color. I saw derrieres that looked Photoshopped. I saw a graying man wave a white towel over his head and dance like crazy. I saw a woman stretch out her hands and circle them as if trying to hug some imaginary pillow. I saw a man reach down and touch a stranger to inquire if her jacket was, indeed, of the Margiela kind during “N—as in Paris.” I saw 19,000 people throw up the diamond simultaneously.

I saw the understated look of exasperation on Kanye’s face when he rebuked the lighting technician (“You just gon’ turn on that one light strip? Just that one? I want them to see all of it”) and restarted the same song three times so Houston could see: “All of the Lights.”

And smiles. For some, this was a first and it was a night full of rewarding, warm feelings; a rush of lightning, a jolt of joy that produced streetlights from their lips.

The first half was, among many things, modest. A worn look on Kanye’s face reminded us that they’ve been touring this thing for a minute. Houston was their 17th stop in 36 days. But like a plane approaching lift off, they found a burst of energy as the show progressed. Kanye, in particular, mustered enough vigor to sprint from one end of the stage to the other while performing his 2006 hit, “Touch the Sky,” which made me think of the childlike excitement that colored his first two albums.

The second half was live craft expertise at its finest. Throughout, Jay and Ye played musical chairs with the stage, taking turns putting their hits on display, making it easy to juxtapose their hit-making abilities. Jay sends the crowd in a frenzy with “Jigga What.” Yeezy comes back with “Can’t Tell Me Nothing.” Hov thrills with “Empire State of Mind.” Ye responds with “Jesus Walks.” And so on.

Favorite moment: was when the pair sat on the stoop for “New Day.” Jay took off his Yankee hat for this one. Sweat trickled down his temple, his face imbuing every line with raw emotion. “My dad left me and I promise to never repeat him. Never repeat him,” rapped the proud poppa who seemed like he was fighting back tears.

Other favorite moment: was seeing them play hype men for each other, Jay saying “That ain’t right” to Yeezy’s gripe about a shady ex on “Gold Digger,” and ‘Ye returning the favor by playing cop to Hov’s smartass crook on “99 Problems.” They’re clearly fans of each other’s stuff. And two of them together made for a two-hour delight, poetry and music in every word and motion.

Style: was interesting. Kanye donned a leather quilt-pants combo that looked like a gift from Willow Smith. Jay wore black jeans and a Yankee hat. Each rocked a WTT shirt with “JZ” inscribed on the right sleeve and “KW” on the left.

Setting: was spectacular. Had a large stage for the joint performances. Had two huge cube-shaped platforms, which raised and lowered and flashed images of sharks and pitbulls at various points of the show, for solo sets. Had flame bursts shooting up toward the ceiling. Had Entrapment-esque lasers and sine waves. Had two huge screens that showed clips of wolves, lions, birds, people, including Martin Luther King Jr. during Ye’s verse on “Made in America” and Malcolm X during Jay’s portion of the same song.

Number of times they went gorillas: Five. After the fourth rendition of Watch the Throne standout, “N—as in Paris,” Jay-Z invited everyone to the front of the stage for one big, final celebration. A lady threw a gold shoe at the stage. Kanye picked it up, smiled and said, “Baby, we gotta get you your shoe back” as he returned it. Then someone threw a joint. Then another. Oh, Houston.

By the end, it was clear that the point wasn’t to create a $200 experience. It was about creating an indelible memory. For two hours and thirty minutes, 19,000 people seemed to be floating all at once. You can’t get that feeling on layaway.

Set List:

“H.A.M.”
“Who Gon’ Stop Me”
“Otis”
“Gotta Have It”
“Welcome to the Jungle”
“Lift Off”
“Where I’m From”
“U Don’t Know”
“Diamonds (Remix)”
“P.S.A.”
“Run This Town”
“Jigga What”
“Can’t Tell Me Nothing”
“Flashing Lights”
“All of the Lights”
“Power”
“Monster”
“That’s My B—h”
“Murder to Excellence”
“New Day”
“Made in America”
“Jesus Walks”
“All Falls Down”
“Touch the Sky”
“Izzo”
“Stronger”
“Heartless”
“Good Life”
“Big Pimpin’”
“N—as in Paris” (x5)

Every year, critics get together and hold a premature funeral for hip-hop. Then, people like me are forced to write articles on why hip-hop is grossly misunderstood by mainstream America. Well, guess what? I’m tired of defending hip-hop. So, rather than defend it endlessly or declare it dead, I compiled a list of things you can do to help save the genre. These suggestions apply to artists, DJs, journalists, record labels, and fans. Pick the ones that apply to you and behave accordingly. Here are 100 things you can do to save hip-hop.

Every year, critics get together and hold a premature funeral for hip-hop. Then, people like me are forced to write articles on why hip-hop is grossly misunderstood by mainstream America. Well, guess what? I’m tired of defending hip-hop. So, rather than defend it endlessly or declare it dead, I compiled a list of things you can do to help save the genre. These suggestions apply to artists, DJs, journalists, record labels, and fans. Pick the ones that apply to you and behave accordingly. Here are 100 things you can do to save hip-hop.

1. Stop playing the same 5 songs on the radio.
2. Stop listening to radio stations that play the same 5 songs.
3. Stop blaming Diddy.
4. Stop Diddy.
5. Stop dubbing every new jack “the next great” this and that.
6. Stop charging body parts for shows.
7. Stop fabricating feuds to sell records.
8. Stop putting Lil Wayne on every song.
9. Stop saying hip-hop is dead.
10. Stop hating Kanye for being weird.
11. More battles, less beef.
12. Stop biting Jay-Z’s flow.
13. Stop biting Biggie’s ad libs.
14. Stop putting weed carriers on your album.
15. Stop trying to please everyone.
16. Stop leaking entire albums song by song.
17. Stop making posthumous collaborations.
18. Stop getting arrested for dumb things.
19. Stop being homophobic.
20. Stop blaming record labels.
21. Stop whining about how much you miss the Golden Age of hip-hop.
22. Stop cluttering albums with corny skits. You’re not Prince Paul.
23. Support creativity with your wallet.
24. Stop making 20-song albums with 90% filler.
25. Stop faking the funk.
26. Stop calling people who disagree with you “haters.”
27. Stop hating.
28. Stop kissing ass for favors.
29. Stop saying you miss “real” hip-hop.
30. Stop hating Jay-Z.
31. Stop saying you’re carrying ___ city on your back. That’s not even possible.
32. Stop acting too cool for school at concerts.
33. Stop rapping about the same three topics.
34. Stop rapping about UFOs.
35. Stop promoting sexual violence under the guise of hood reportage.
36. Stop defending misogyny.
37. Stop being a Twitter groupie.
38. Stop taking contrarian views for the sake of being different.
39. Stop hating people who disagree with you.
40. Stop dissing Soulja Boy.
41. Stop Soulja Boy.
42. Stop dissing people who make dance-tastic rap. It’s been around forever.
43. Support innovative DJs.
44. Actually make the effort to move the crowd.
45. Stop radio payola.
46. Stop blog payola.
47. Push the envelope.
48. Stop biting.
49. Stop yelling on mixtapes.
50. Stop blaming bloggers.
51. Make meaningful music.
52. Stop obsessing over airplay (or lack thereof).
53. Stop showering undeserving veterans with blind praise.
54. Stop sleeping on unsigned talent.
55. Stop hopping on trends.
56. Stop making everything a race issue.
57. Stop being so gimmicky.
58. Stop calling everything a concept album.
59. Stop making tinkerbell beats.
60. Stop blaming skinny jeans.
61. Stop blaming hipsters.
62. Stop explaining your art.
63. Let your music speak for itself.
64. Stop playing it safe.
65. Invest in better artwork and packaging.
66. Stop promoting ignorance.
67. Stop burning bridges over stupid things.
68. Stop bragging about sales.
69. Stop showing up six hours late to your own shows.
70. Stop blaming the South.
71. Stop putting people in a box.
72. Stop tossing “classic” around.
73. Stop congratulating yourself on every song.
74. Stop trying to sell the same album twice.
75. Stop looking for the next 50 Cent.
76. Stop hating people who color outside the lines.
77. More rapping, less singing.
78. Stop wasting your budget on video hos.
79. Do tell me, how do you get in those jeans.
80. Stop getting murdered by Eminem on your songs.
81. Stop telling me to “bring that sh-t back!”
82. More improvised freestyles, less written freestyles.
83. More originality, less biting.
84. More RZA, less Bobby Digital.
85. More effort, less ghostwriting.
86. More albums, less mixtapes.
87. Stop using auto-tune to mask a lack of talent.
88. Stop making contrived girl songs.
89. Stop wearing obnoxious gold chains.
90. Stop calling everything a movement. Civil Rights = movement; Bugatti Boys = not a movement.
91. Stop shooting up the clubs.
92. Stop wearing jackets that look like LV handbags.
93. Stop nominating idiots for Hip-Hop Honors.
94. Stop handing out awards to the same 5 people every year.
95. Stop sending impostors to your show (I’m looking at you, DOOM).
96. Ban Diddy from Twitter.
97. Stop putting baby pictures on your album cover.
98. Be aware that the roof is not literally on fire.
99. Retire the word “swag.”
100. Stop trying to save hip-hop. It doesn’t need saving.

[About.com]

I’ve never seen a cross-eyed possum. And I’ve never seen Trae tha Truth without Dominic Levar Brown, fondly known as Money Clip D. Brown, 34, was Trae’s indispensable right-hand man, best friend, and brother from another. Trae calls him Mr. ABN. Brown was fatally shot outside Houston, Texas, after-hours club Breakers on Friday, November 25, less than 24 hours after passing out Thanksgiving turkeys to the needy.

According to the official Houston Police Department report, there was an altercation between two groups at Breakers. The argument spilled into the parking lot with the feuding parties trading gunshots. Brown and his friends were not involved. When the bar closed at 5:30 a.m., Brown went to his car. While speaking to two female friends outside the driver’s window, an unknown black male began shooting at the car, striking Brown and fleeing the scene.

Trae got the call about Brown’s shooting while asleep in his home and sped to the hospital immediately. Brown was already dead. “People are calling him ‘associate of Trae’,” Trae tells Rap Fix. “That’s false. He wasn’t my associate. He was my brother. This has been one of the most difficult weeks of my life.”

Indeed, Brown was a prominent fixture in Trae’s endless community activities, always affable and never without a smile or a cellphone in sight. “He was involved in everything I did,” he adds. “You had to go through him to get to me. We had all kinds of different plans. Every single thing, I did he was involved in.”

One of those plans was an emergency children’s shelter Trae hopes to launch through his nonprofit organization, Angel By Nature (ABN). Others were music-related. “Before anyone sends anything to me, Clip had to come sit in the room and listen like, ‘Yeah, yeah, OK, that’s good.’”

But music is the farthest thing from Trae’s mind right now. There’s a slew of services to attend, a funeral to organize, people to console. Wednesday night, hundreds of his supporters braved the uncharacteristically frigid Houston weather to honor Brown with a candlelight vigil at Amity Park. The service was overflowing with friends, family, and local celebs, including NBA Forward Rashard Lewis.

Hip-hop peers Bun B, Wyclef Jean, Lupe Fiasco, Yo Gotti, and Rich Boy have also reached out to express their condolences to Trae and the Brown family.

Before heading out to Breakers on Friday, Brown was at home doing what he did best–taking care of others. “He had just taught Baby Houston (Trae’s son) how to ride a tricycle,” Trae recalls. Trae captured it on video. It was their last moment together. Clip D’s wake will be held on Friday night (December 2) from 7-9 pm at Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Houston. [MTV: Rap Fix]

Words & Photos by Rizoh

Pharrell threw a launch party in Houston for his new liquor, Qream. The event was all types of cool–good music, great crowd, and the best part? Free drinks. Duh. I was there in my Sunday’s best to witness the launch, along with a shitton of other Houstonians. It was a crazy fun cocktail party. I even spotted a few celebs in the building: rappers Bun B and Slim Thug, Swishahouse singer Hazel-E, among others. Peep the photos.

Henry Adaso
Roc4life

“Sure Thing” is about being madly in love and all that mushy stuff but, Miguel being Miguel, occasionally slips in sexual innuendo wherever he sees fit. “You be the match, Imma be your fuse/Boom!” Oh Miguel, you sure have a way with words. “Motivation” needs no introduction. It sports some of the raunchiest lyrics on radio this year, and finds Rowland mewling, “push harder,” “go longer” and “go, go, go!”

A few notches down at No.7 is Trey Songz’s “Love Faces,” a paean to post-coital expressions. “Don’t it feel good when I touch on it,” Songz sings, “Wouldn’t it be nice if all night I was in you? Come kiss me, come with me down the hall to my bedroom. Tonight we’ll be making love faces.”
You’ve definitely heard Jeremih’s “Down on Me” at some point, unless you’ve just returned from a trip to Mars. “Down on Me” is at No. 19, thanks to Jeremih’s sexually charged poetry: “I’m gonna lick it lick it lick it till her hickey have that river running.”

At No. 22 is Waka Flocka Flame’s strip-club anthem, “No Hands,” which features Roscoe Dash and Wale. If you’re wondering why this song is still enjoying major buzz, the lyrics may offer some explanation: “Well I’m tryna hit the hotel with two girls that swallow dick/ Take this dick and swallow Bay Moscato got her freaky.”

Clearly, program directors have a thing for Bay Moscato references.

Sex, ladies and gents, guarantees airplay. But that’s not the only way in. After poring over the YTD chart for a minute, Rocks Off found a few other ways to get your song on the radio.

​1. Pony Up!: No pay, no play. Duh.

2. Get a Hook From Drake: Do whatever you can to legally secure a hook or, better yet, a verse and a hook from Drake. Artist X + Drake is a proven formula.

Proof: Drizzy sings or raps on five of the songs in the top 20.

(Pro Tip: If you’re really serious about scoring a radio single, consider signing to Young Money or Cash Money. Five of the cuts in the Top 10 featured at least one YM/CM artist.)

A scene from Trey Songz's "Love Faces"

​3. Get a Hook From Chris Brown: If Drake isn’t available, try Chris Brown’s Blackberry. Breezy sent three songs to the top 20. He’s also singing on Big Sean’s “My Last” (No. 7), which gives him a total of 4 active radio hits.

4. Become Lil WayneWayne boasts four hits in the Top 20. If you’re that desperate for a hit, you’ll just have to find a way to become Weezy F. Baby. You’ll probably need waist-length dreds, a bizarre fascination with the letter “F,” height-reduction procedures, and surgical implantation of the brain cells responsible for random outbursts of “ya dig?”

Take a gander at the urban radio Top 10.

1. Miguel, “Sure Thing” – 86,785
2. Kelly Rowland feat. Lil Wayne, “Motivation” – 83,597
3. Chris Brown, “Look at Me Now” – 75,488
4. Lil Wayne feat. Cory Gunz, “6 Foot 7 Foot” – 69,744
5. Nicki Minaj, “Moment 4 Life” – 68,362
6. Big Sean feat. Chris Brown – “My Last” – 67,339
7. Trey Songz, “Love Faces” – 63,470
8. DJ Khaled, “I’m on One” – 63,456
9. Chris Brown, “She Ain’t You” – 63,280
10. Kanye West, “All of the Lights” – 62,732

Henry Adaso
Houston Press

Unlike the imaginary audience the station’s program director has been instructed to reach, you’re not a robot; you’re a member of theHomo sapiens species and you naturally crave variety. You don’t have satellite radio, so you immediately reach for your CD case.

You’re not alone.

According to a July 2011 Arbitron survey, 68 percent of people now rely on CD players as their main in-car entertainment, up from 58 percent in 2003. In-car satellite radio usage also ticked up to 8 percent from 1 percent in 2003. Equally disconcerting for radio stations: The rate of people listening to AM/FM radio in their cars fell to 84 percent from 96 percent just six years ago.

The slump has serious financial implications for the radio industry. If the trend continues, we could see ad revenues plummet and commercial radio render itself irrelevant.

Unlike the music industry’s sales struggles, though, this is one nosedive you can’t blame on the recession. The radio industry slump started long before the recession cast its evil spell on us in 2008. Besides, the shitty economy hasn’t stopped people from shelling out for pricey satellite subscriptions, as the Arbitron survey confirms.

The stark reality is that radio listeners are increasingly bored by the mind-numbingly homogeneous, humdrum programming being cranked out round the clock. People are tuning out and seeking out exciting alternatives. That’s nothing new.

Pages of ink have been spilled to wax concern on the redundant nature of radio. The latest survey only adds another framework to those arguments. And though the study is titled “The Road Ahead,” it doesn’t spell out a map for the future.

Maybe it’s because the way forward isn’t as clear as the issues plaguing commercial radio. It’s not like all program directors can suddenly decide to start playing whatever they like.

People like to think of companies in anthropomorphic terms – as one big, lifelike entity. It’s inherent in our nature as humans to point fingers at some invisible monster when things go wrong.

We imagine radio as a funnel-eared ogre in a swampy igloo constantly pushing “play” on the same bland tune every six minutes. As it turns out, it’s taken a million tiny steps to bring the radio industry to its knees.

It’ll definitely take several calculated moves to jolt it back to life. Better salaries, innovative programming, and a vested interest in digital outlets are all part of the way forward.

​ Radio is doubtless in for a long-term decline, even if it’s in decent shape right now. Driven by political season, radio industry revenues rose 5% to $14 billion in 2010. Still, that’s scary for an industry that was raking in $20 billion just 10 years ago. The golden age of radio is long gone.

The industry dilemma comes down to this: Digital forms of radio will continue to proliferate, thus giving listeners a larger menu of music programming. Sadly, digital radio still lacks a viable economic model. And without that, it won’t make enough revenue to replace traditional outlets.

So radio still has time to rebound, considering that the alternatives are still evolving. Podcasting is far from being a feasible option. Sirius/XM is seriously expensive – what was the FCC thinking when it allowed the two companies to merge? And sure, you can stream music and talk shows on your smartphone apps, but that’s not practical on a coast-to-coast trip.

If alternative outlets somehow figure out a way to pluck listeners from terrestrial rivals, then we’ll see traditional radio revenues wither. Even well-established radio conglomerates could see ad revenues dip as newer, sexier rivals snatch their clientele.

Commercial radio is akin to the Titanic -an unprecedented machine built with what was once considered cutting-edge technology. Titanic was designed by the finest engineers, using exhaustive safety features; radio blossomed from the amplification of high-tech telegraphic codes. Both made their debut at the turn of the 20th century.

Both had a hell of a ride. And if the latest projections are any indication, radio, like the Titanic, is destined for a perilous end.

Henry Adaso
Houston Press

​Last week, the music world laughed up a hiccup as Lil Wayne pranced around the VMA stage in nut-suffocating, Le Tigre-inspired jeggings. While that performance affirmed that Wayne is no fashion guru, his chart performance a week later reminded us that he’s very good at something else-selling records, tons of ‘em.

His latest, Tha Carter IV, docked at No.1 on Billboard after moving a staggering 964,000 units in one week. That’s more than double what Jay-Z and Kanye West posted on their joint effort and 9 times more than Diddy’s last outing. It’s the second-best opening week performance this year, behind Lady Gaga’s 1.1 million outing. Call it the Jeggings Bump.

But Wayne’s case is an oddity in a crippled industry. In fact, the feat stunned everyone – including Wayne himself – and had industry insiders wondering if Birdman bought extra copies of Carter IV to spike sales. The Cash Money honcho denied it. And frankly, it doesn’t make sense to buy a million copies of your own album in this economy.

For most artists not named Weezy or Gaga, however, a million units will remain a fantasy. Record sales continue to plummet across the board, and labels are still trying to map out a way forward. If you’re wondering why Wayne and Gaga seem to consistently buck the trend, while others continually struggle, let’s establish that it’s not because Weezy’s latest is the nicest thing since white loaf.

When Rick Rubin took over the mantle of leadership at Columbia Records, someone asked him how to rejuvenate the music industry.

Some argue that piracy is still the biggest catalyst for spiraling sales. Drew “Dru Ha” Friedman, co-head of revered indie label Duck Down Records, recalls a time before HulkShare and Megaupload.​His response? Make great records. But that argument doesn’t hold up when you look atBillboard charts over the last five years. The two first-week champs of 2011 - Born This Way and Carter IV – rank among the most disappointing albums of the year. With a few exceptions (Kanye West, Adele), there’s no correlation between quality music and big sales.

“Roughly a decade ago the debate took place on whether giving your music away for free on the internet or allowing illegal downloading was healthy for artists and record labels,” Dru Ha tells Rocks Off. “Working through years of declining sales, I can say with confidence that illegal downloading and the legal sites that find ways to share artist’s music without payment are the direct cause for sagging music sales.”

Piracy, no doubt, plays a major role, but is it still the leading factor? Tha Carter IV, for instance, leaked ahead of its street date and still scanned 964,000 in a week. If piracy isn’t the culprit, then what is?

It’s impossible to ignore the role of technology in all this. Modern advances make it easy for aspiring artists to saturate the market and easier for consumers to ignore them. “Consumers have a lot more music to choose from, and tough decisions when it comes to what to buy and what to pass on,” says veteran music journalist Alvin Blanco, author of The Wu-Tang Clan and RZA: A Trip Inside the 36 Chambers.​Paul Porter, erstwhile BET program director and founder of Industry Ears, cites the unbundling of the album. “The recording industry is once again a singles-driven market,” explains Porter. “The digital download is the new 45. Thank iTunes for making it possible to buy just your favorite song instead of a mediocre album.”

Experts disagree on the factors fueling strong sales, but the general consensus seems to be that consumers are becoming more selective. “Listeners understand bad product these days and refuse to waste space on their Ipods,” says Porter. “Commercial radio can shove all the fake hits down the throats of listeners but nobody is buying it.”

But what’s the way forward for the rest of the industry? “Ultimately it comes down to quality and the strength of your fanbase, which is a lot tougher to extend from online into tangible reality than it seems,” says Blanco. “Record sales may be down, but both Lil Wayne and The Throne (Jay-Z and Kanye West), or better yet Adele, have no problem selling records, last I checked.”​It’s not all doom and gloom in the music industry. Through the first half of 2011, Universal Music Group saw its revenues drop 1.9%, an improvement over the first six months of 2010 when UMG suffered a 5.4% decline. Second half releases by Lil Wayne and The Throne should further strengthen UMG’s numbers.

The music industry needs to shed its skin every now and then in order to grow. The current business model is broken and will eventually pave way for a new system. For now, there’s one thing that continues to yield results in the system: branding. Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, and Adele have no trouble selling records, because their fans are buying the brand not the product.

There’s a lot of good music out there and you can find it if you know where to look. But it’s not enough. At a time when labels are unwilling to get under the hood and get dirty, artist building is more crucial than ever.

“If the industry returns to building artist instead of creating hit songs, the industry might see an Adele type resurgence,” says Porter.

The message is clear: build a unique brand, and-bada bing!-success will follow. Jeggings are optional.

Henry Adaso
Houston Press

​No one’s willing to confirm anything, but all indications point to the same scoop: Facebook is planning to launch a new music service this fall. Here’s what we know so far.

CNBC’s John Fortt broke the news Kanye West-style – in ALL CAPS: “YES INDEED NEXT MONTH IS GOING TO BE A BIG ONE FOR MUSIC I’M HEARING FROM SOMEONE FAMILIAR WITH THE PLANS THAT FACEBOOK PLANS TO LAUNCH ITS LONG RUMORED MUSIC SERVICE AT THE F8 CONFERENCE ON SEPTEMBER 22ND. NOW, IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT FACEBOOK WON’T ACTUALLY HOST THE MUSIC, BUT WILL PARTNER WITH OTHERS WHO DO THAT. BUT FACEBOOK TO LAUNCH THEIR MUSIC PLATFORM AT THE F8 CONFERENCE ON SEPTEMBER 22ND.”

And who’s the lucky partner in Facebook’s press-stopping, caps-locking tango?

Business Insider offers some specifics, replete with a silhouette of Mark Zuckerberg to punctuate the impending apocalypse from this news. Word on the street is that Spotify may have already signed up for the partnership: “Facebook will integrate existing third-party services. Spotify is a likely choice, as others have reported before.”

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, however, is a J. Dilla fan and understands that one just won’t do. So FB is joining hands with not one, not two, but three music services. According to Mashable, MOG and Rdio are the other two dance partners. Hot.

Reports of MOG’s involvement stemmed from founder David Hyman’s remarks to CNBC last week. “MOG already has a strong relationship with Facebook,” Hyman gushed. “It uses Facebook’s social graph to help subscribers discover new artists based on those their friends already “like” on Facebook.”

The music platform is expected to be announced at Facebook’s f8 developer conference on Sept. 22. If early reports are any indication, the service will allow users to stream music directly from within Facebook.com a la the Facebook video chat.

​Every day, Rocks Off is reminded that we should have taken rapping a bit more seriously in our younger days. Today’s friendly reminder comes in the way of a report saying that Eminem cashed a $3 million check for two nights of work at the UK’s V Fest.

Em’s scenario isn’t typical, though. Concert fees run the gamut from $50 (for amateur wedding singers) to $150,000 (for Drake or Weezer). Most artists get a base pay during the booking; the sum rises if you sell a pissload of tickets and merchandise. Say what you want about the music business, the live arena remains a lucrative area for most musicians. Not to mention the multi-billion dollar performance-rights industry.

We’ll leave you with this list of eye-popping performance tags, while we go dig in the basement for that dusty ol’ rhyme book.

Justin Bieber: He may look and sound like a girl, but Justin Bieber is caking. Last year, the Biebz topped Smoking Gun’s list of highest-grossing performers. His asking price of $300,000 could buy you some Egyptian charm.

Groovehouse

​KISS: The Bieber Machine is dirt-cheap compared to these freaky clowns. Their concert tag is a hefty $500,000 per night.

Ivete Sangalo: Sangalo is Brazil’s answer to Shakira, if you will. The Latin Grammy-winning singer is not cheap, though. Expert Tip: Don’t book her on New Year’s eve. Sangalo demands $275,000 for regular shows, but special occasions will run you $1 million.
Rascal Flatts: Country-rock gurglers Rascal Flatts will grace your party for a mere $702,000. Well, that was their asking price before they had a song with Justin Bieber. Now they probably charge $2 million, plus Converse shoes in every color.
Mariah Carey: Chicken-faced Libyan nutcase Gaddafi/Gadhaffi/Quadaffy/Kadafy once paid Mariah Carey $1 million to sing four songs on the Caribbean island of St. Bart’s on New Year’s Eve 2008. Carey said she didn’t realize she was performing for the Libyan neanderthal at the time. “I was naive and unaware of who I was booked to perform for,” read her statement. El Oh El. For $1 million we’d do the show blindfolded, too.

Michael Jackson You can’t discuss eye-popping performance fees without mention the king of eye-popping everything. In 1996, the Sultan of Brunei hired MJ to entertain guests at his birthday bash at the Jerudong Amusement. Jackson reportedly took home a $20 million check for the gig.

Henry Adaso
Houston Press