TYDmusic.com: Musicscene 73

Napster files for bankruptcy.

Napster the online file swapping service provider filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy today (June 3), seeking court protection from creditors as music industry heavyweight Bertelsmann AG follows through on a plan to take over what's left of the company.

Last month, Bertelsmann said it would buy Napster for $8 million -- slightly more than half what it had previously offered to purchase the company -- to pay Napster's creditors as part of a financial reorganization that included plans to file for bankruptcy. As of April 30, Napster had about $7.9 million in assets and about $101 million in liabilities, according to the filings made in Wilmington, Del.

The bankruptcy filing is the swan song for a company that three years ago set off a frenzy of online song-swapping that attracted millions of users, as well as the ire of the recording industry, which sued for copyright infringement. Napster has been offline since July 2001 while fighting the suits.

Source: soulnotes.com

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Jazzy Jeff finally gets his turn with solo effort

In the 80's Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince ruled the rap charts and even crossed over to the Pop charts with hits like 'Parent's just don't understand', 'I think I can beat Mike Tyson', 'Girls ain't nuthin' but trouble' and the sleeper hit 'Summertime'. As we all know Will Smith went onto become a mega superstar in music television and film but what about Jazzy Jeff well he's hidden in plain sight (so to speak).

Jazzy Jeff (given name: Jeff Townes) has been busy, he produced numerous tracks on all of Will's solo albums (with the exception of Will's forthcoming release) as well as hits for the likes of Michael Jackson, Musiq and the lovely Jill Scott' (whom he co-produced with Andre Harris and Videl Davis). With all this going on you'd think he wouldn't have time to do a solo project but there you have it. Jeff has just put the finishing touched on his 1st solo album called 'The Magnificent'. Said Jeff "I do a lot of production, and I'd never had anybody come to me and say, 'Do what you want, do what you feel,' " he said. The Magnificent is part of BBE's Beat Generation series, which highlights producers. Pete Rock and Marley Marl have also put out albums through the company.

"It's not necessarily if it sells, it's not if radio will play it," Jeff continued. "Somebody is asking you, 'Tell me musically who are you.' You ain't used to it. The hardest part for me, it took me a good month and a half to even start. You have complete creative control. You're trying to figure out, 'Damn, where do I start?' " The Magnificent is a collection of Jeff's jazzy beats combined with today's R&B, and features the likes of MC Freddie Foxxx and Shawn Stockman (of Boyz II Men's fame) Also on the set are J-Live and Jazzy's protégé V as well as the lady who really brought A Touch of Jazz to the forefront, Jill Scott.

"Jill Scott was the first project that somebody gave us the ability to do the whole project and we put it out," said Jeff, Look out for the set later this year.

Source: soulnotes.com.

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The Grammys are to add new R&B categories

The Recording Academy has announced new categories in the field of R&B music. A LAUNCH.com source confirmed that the organization's trustee's board voted last week to add two new categories, and to alter another. According to the unnamed source, the new R&B Grammy awards would include Best Contemporary R&B Album and Best Urban
Alternative Performance. Additionally, the Best Traditional R&B Vocal Album award has been changed to Best Traditional R&B Performance.

The Best Contemporary R&B album category would recognize R&B and hip-hop artists like the likes of Missy Elliott, 112, and Nate Dogg. The best urban alternative performance field would highlight singles and tracks from alternative R&B and hip-hop acts such as Meshell Ndegeocello, Dakota Moon, and the Black Eyed Peas. While the best traditional R&B vocal album category previously recognized albums encompassing rhythmic, blues-influenced music and gospel-rooted vocals, the reworked best traditional R&B performance category will acknowledge singles and tracks that meet that same criteria.

Source: SpotlightonR&B.com

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R. Kelly forthcoming release already on the bootleggers market.

R. Kelly's forthcoming release 'Loveland" has already hit the bootleggers market as a 15 track demo of the disc was taken from his home based studio in Chicago. The bootleg being peddled features 15 songs, most of them never before released (with the exception of 'The World's Greatest,' and 'Come to Daddy which was featured on the pirated copy of The Best of Both Worlds) and a Broadway-like musical remix of "I Believe I Can Fly" (performed on his TP-2 tour last year).

Tracks include 'Sitting by myself in my cell/ Loneliness', 'In the Name of Love', 'Make me' and 'Spirit' 'All I' is reminiscent of the early '70s soul of Al Green and features Kelly singing from the perspective of an inmate counting the days until he's released and can return to his lover. Said Kelly "I have a problem with trusting people, just like I have a problem being around the wrong people, and this has led me to something like this — people taking my CDs out of the studio and selling them." The album is scheduled for a November release.

Source - soulnotes.com.