Press "Enter" to skip to content

Posts published in “Music”

Earvin “Magic” Johnson Buys ‘Soul Train’ Rights, Developing Musical Based On Don Cornelius!

By goodblacknews on July 14, 2012
Don Cornelius hosting “Soul Train”

BY TAMBAY A. OBENSON | JULY 13, 2012 1:06 PM via http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/

It was much earlier this year when it was announced that there was renewed interest in exploiting the Soul Train franchise – thanks to Don Cornelius’ death.  The news then was that Soul Train Holdings was working with WME to find ways to, as I said, exploit and grow the brand, which would include a film, a stage musical AND a TV show.  “Certainly we want to proceed in a way that will highlight the contribution of Don to the creation of the brand and its subsequent impact on American culture,” said Kenard Gibbs, CEO of Soul Train Holdings.

However, there were some rights issues that they’d have to deal with, notably the music used in each episode of the series. But they were confident that wouldn’t be a problem.  Things seem to be in motion again as it’s been announced today that Earvin “Magic” Johnson and his business partners have bought the rights to the Soul Train franchise for “several million dollars,” and are planning an upcoming musical based on the life of Don Cornelius, according to the NY Post.   The musical, which is being aimed towards Broadway, will focus on the once mega-hit variety show.

Bob Marley's Family Wins Case Over Use Of Musician's Image

By goodblacknews on January 21, 2011

 

Rohan Marley Standingin Forage
Rohan Marley, son of the late Bob Marley
Las Vegas–A Reno-based company intentionally interfered with business relationships established by Bob Marley’s heirs and must pay the family at least $300,000 in damages, a Las Vegas jury ruled Friday.
Jurors ruled that AVELA, a corporation based in Reno, and owner Leo Valencia, a San Diego resident, intentionally interfered with the family’s business relationships and engaged in unfair competition by selling T-shirts and other products bearing Bob Marley’s image. The products have been sold across the country at retail stores such as Target, Walmart and Wet Seal.
“The verdict sends a clear message to anyone who would challenge the integrity of our father’s legacy,” Rohan Marley, son of the late reggae musician, said in a written statement. “Preserving it remains one of our top priorities and we will continue to aggressively pursue legal actions against those who attempt to unfairly profit from his life and legacy.”
Jurors awarded the plaintiffs $300,000 in damages on the claim of intentional interference. U.S. District Judge Philip Pro is expected to award additional damages after he determines the amount of lost profits caused by the unfair competition.
The jury found that all the defendants willfully engaged in unfair competition, but the panel found that JEM and Central Mills did not intentionally interfere with the Marleys’ business relationships.

Read more at LVRJ.com

 

Bob Marley’s Family Wins Case Over Use Of Musician’s Image

By goodblacknews on January 21, 2011

 

Rohan Marley Standingin Forage

Rohan Marley, son of the late Bob Marley

Las Vegas–A Reno-based company intentionally interfered with business relationships established by Bob Marley’s heirs and must pay the family at least $300,000 in damages, a Las Vegas jury ruled Friday.

Jurors ruled that AVELA, a corporation based in Reno, and owner Leo Valencia, a San Diego resident, intentionally interfered with the family’s business relationships and engaged in unfair competition by selling T-shirts and other products bearing Bob Marley’s image. The products have been sold across the country at retail stores such as Target, Walmart and Wet Seal.

“The verdict sends a clear message to anyone who would challenge the integrity of our father’s legacy,” Rohan Marley, son of the late reggae musician, said in a written statement. “Preserving it remains one of our top priorities and we will continue to aggressively pursue legal actions against those who attempt to unfairly profit from his life and legacy.”

Jurors awarded the plaintiffs $300,000 in damages on the claim of intentional interference. U.S. District Judge Philip Pro is expected to award additional damages after he determines the amount of lost profits caused by the unfair competition.

The jury found that all the defendants willfully engaged in unfair competition, but the panel found that JEM and Central Mills did not intentionally interfere with the Marleys’ business relationships.

Read more at LVRJ.com

 

Black Eyed Peas' 'I Gotta Feeling' Breaks Digital Sales Record

By goodblacknews on May 1, 2010

By Keith Caulfield, L.A.
The Black Eyed Peas continue to steamroll their way into the record books this week. The group’s “I Gotta Feeling” surpasses Flo Rida’s “Low” as the best-selling digital song of all time, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
SoundScan began tracking digital song sales in July of 2003, a little more than two months after Apple launched its popular iTunes Store.
Feeling,” which spent 14 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart last year, has now sold 5,561,000 million digital downloads, ahead of “Low’s” 5,536,000. The latter had been the biggest selling song since March 2008, when it trumped Soulja Boy Tell’em’s 2007 hit “Crank That.”
Presently, the Peas own two out of the top five best-selling digital songs in history. Its other ubiquitous 2009 hit, “Boom Boom Pow,” is in fourth place with 5,298,000. Behind Flo Rida is Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance” (No. 3 with 5,364,000) and rounding out the top five is Gaga again with “Poker Face” (5,131,000).
Coincidentally, “Boom Boom Pow,” “Poker Face,” “Just Dance” and “I Gotta Feeling” ranked as the top four singles, respectively, on Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 chart last year.

Black Eyed Peas’ ‘I Gotta Feeling’ Breaks Digital Sales Record

By goodblacknews on May 1, 2010

By Keith Caulfield, L.A.

The Black Eyed Peas continue to steamroll their way into the record books this week. The group’s “I Gotta Feeling” surpasses Flo Rida’s “Low” as the best-selling digital song of all time, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

SoundScan began tracking digital song sales in July of 2003, a little more than two months after Apple launched its popular iTunes Store.
Feeling,” which spent 14 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart last year, has now sold 5,561,000 million digital downloads, ahead of “Low’s” 5,536,000. The latter had been the biggest selling song since March 2008, when it trumped Soulja Boy Tell’em’s 2007 hit “Crank That.”

Presently, the Peas own two out of the top five best-selling digital songs in history. Its other ubiquitous 2009 hit, “Boom Boom Pow,” is in fourth place with 5,298,000. Behind Flo Rida is Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance” (No. 3 with 5,364,000) and rounding out the top five is Gaga again with “Poker Face” (5,131,000).
Coincidentally, “Boom Boom Pow,” “Poker Face,” “Just Dance” and “I Gotta Feeling” ranked as the top four singles, respectively, on Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 chart last year.