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Mariah Carey’s Ticket Sales Are Fine, So Are Her Finances, But Someone (Who Could it Be?) Is Maligning Her

Roger Friedman
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Mariah Carey’s Ticket Sales Are Fine, So Are Her Finances, But Someone (Who Could it Be?) Is Maligning Her

I’ve been reading stories about Mariah Carey in the press lately. She’s broke, she sold James Packer’s engagement ring because she needed the money, and so on. Today, the story is that her Caesar’s Palace dates aren’t selling.

Well, it’s all hogwash. And I haven’t seen Mariah since our weird encounter in January at the end of Clive Davis’s pre Grammy party. Otherwise, it’s been silence.

But I will tell you I got a laugh about the sale of the ring. She’s a clever girl, our Mariah. She made $10 million out of that crazy engagement. Good for her. You can’t take the Long Island out of the girl.

And ticket sales? I checked. They’re fine. She has 8 dates at Caesar’s in July. They’re 60% to 70% sold. She’ll do 90 percent by show time. That’s around 35,000 tickets. Without a new album or a radio hit. Tickets run up to $500 a pop. Caesar’s gets huge PR. It’s a win win.

Listen, I don’t know who is managing Mariah, or who her publicists are these days. I do know that she made $50 million when EMI Records prematurely released her from a contact after the failure of “Glitter.” Just an update: EMI Records no longer exists, but Mariah is an international superstar. Those are just the facts.

Is she kooky? Yes. Is someone out there planting negative stories about her? Indeed. Is there Russian collusion?

But look, everyone has grown up. Madonna’s ventures in Malawai have even improved. And hell has not frozen over yet.

Mariah’s next best bet? Make an album with a really great jazz producer, no hip hop, not pop, R&B standards that showcase her voice before it’s too late.

 

Roseanne’s Rabbi Shmuley: His “Charity” Finished 2016 $300K in the Red Despite His Six Figure Salary

Roger Friedman
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Roseanne’s Rabbi Shmuley: His “Charity” Finished 2016 $300K in the Red Despite His Six Figure Salary

EXCLUSIVE I forgot all about Rabbi Shmuley Boteach. Or as he calls himself on the Form 990 tax filing for his World Values Network, Jacob Botach.

Shmuley is in the news today because like a barnacle he’s once again attached himself to celebrity– this time Roseanne Barr. He taped some interview with her this week but now he says he’s not releasing it out of the kindness of his heart.

This is the same guy who exploited Michael Jackson into the next afterlife. He even published a book of recordings he said he made with Michael, although Jackson never knew about them.

Last year I told you about Shmuley’s newest charitable foundation, the World Values Network. Shmuley is very adept at creating not for profits. This one is really NOT for profit, only his.

According to the 2016 tax filing for World Values Network, Revenue less expenses was way in the RED– MINUS $304,191. Nevertheless, Shmuley received a salary of $357,000. He lists himself as “Jacob Botach.” It’s the second time he’d done it, so we know it’s not a mistake. I reported that he’d done it  last year, too.

This guy is his own worst enemy. If he hadn’t popped up in the Roseanne story, I’d have forgotten about this altogether. But Boteach’s Achilles heel is celebrity. He has to be part of it.

Contributions to the World Values Network in 2016– which gives no grants to any one — fell from $2.7 million to $1.6 million in one year according to the filed tax returns. Yet Shmuley gave himself a raise of $25,000 and still took home his six figure salary. Net assets fell from $921,443 to $617,252. He’s draining his own pool.

But where is the IRS? How does this just go on and on. If there’s still a US attorney in NY, maybe they can look into it. They did years ago when Shmuley ran a sketchy charity for which he used Michael Jackson has his lure.

Roseanne is no regretting this mini episode of her crazy week.

Here’s are the Main Samples on Kanye West’s New Album, by the Royal Jesters, by Shirley Ann Lee

Roger Friedman
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Here’s are the Main Samples on Kanye West’s New Album, by the Royal Jesters, by Shirley Ann Lee

This is the Royal Jesters’ version of “Take Me for a Little While.” The song was a hit for Dave Edmunds, Dusty Springfield, and Vanilla Fudge at different times. It was written in the 1960s by Trade Martin, who more recently expressed his distaste for mosque that was going to be built near the World Trade Center site.

On Kanye West’s new album, the song is called “Ghost Town.” Anyway, the Royal Jesters’ version is obscure, which is what Kanye likes. The Jesters were a Chicano soul group from San Antonio, Texas. It’s their voices you hear on “Ye.” It looks like they recorded as a B side for a single in the late 60s maybe. At least one member of the group is dead. I hope the whole group is being paid handsomely by Kanye and Def Jam.

Gospel great Shirley Ann Lee sings the opening part from her song “Someday.” God knows who was paid for this. It turns out both original records are in the hands of something called Numero Group from Chicago.

Pop: Teen Idol Shawn Mendes Scores Rare Number 1 on Overall Chart of Mostly Hip Hop

Roger Friedman
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Pop: Teen Idol Shawn Mendes Scores Rare Number 1 on Overall Chart of Mostly Hip Hop

I told you folks about Shawn Mendes first, about three years ago when he played his first show in New York. Since then the talented teen– a better Bieber, as it were– has had nothing but success.

Now his third album, self titled, has finished its debut week on the charts at number 1– but really number 1. The album sold about 182,000 including streaming.

That makes “Shawn Mendes” the first pop album in a while at the top of what is mostly a hip hop chart. The top 50 albums counted by BuzzAngle and hitsdailydouble only has two or three pop oriented albums below number 1. In fact, from 2 to 7 it’s all hip hop including Cardi B, Post Malone, and Pusha T.

So Mendes got either got white kids to stream his music, or black kids are really digging him– which is great. Or maybe it’s just a rainbow coalition of people in general.

The NY Times panned the album, saying Mendes had too many big name songwriting collaborators. I can’t address that. I do know that Mendes started with these very James Taylor-Jackson Browne-ish songs he wrote himself and played acoustic. I hope he hasn’t sold out, but if he has, maybe he’ll return next time just doing his own stuff. He’s only 20.

Now Mendes cedes the top position to Kanye West, who released today. The number 1 crown next Friday is his to lose. So far he’s number 1 on iTunes and amazon, so that’s a good start.

 

Kanye West’s Two Big Samples on His New Album Come from Obscure Songs from the 1960s

Roger Friedman
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Kanye West’s Two Big Samples on His New Album Come from Obscure Songs from the 1960s

Kanye West is the king of sampling– taking obscure music from the 60s and 70s and using it for himself. If he pays the original artist, I guess it’s a good thing. But Kanye doesn’t write original music.

He’s done this himself– a big example was taking Shirley Bassey’s  “Diamonds are Forever” years ago. He’s also taken Otis Redding’s “Dock of the Bay” and countless others.

Even as a producer he’s done it with other artists. Alicia Keys’s “You Don’t Know My Name” comes from a Main Ingredient record.

The reason I get upset about this is that this did not exist before rap, when standards were higher. Marvin Gaye is turning over in his grave. His albums were works of art that he composed and performed. Stevie Wonder, same thing. They would never have considered sampling.

Anyway. On “Ye,” Kanye borrows “Children Get Together” from Edwin Hawkins, an R&B and gospel legend whose biggest was “Oh Happy Day.” Kanye also appropriates “Take Me For a Little While” by a writer named Trade Martin for “Ghost Town” aka “Someday.” The latter song was a hit twice, for Vanilla Fudge, and for Dave Edmunds.

Kanye is certainly not alone. P Diddy’s most famous hit was based on The Police’s “Every Breath You Take.” All of Jay Z’s records come from samples. His “Empire State of Mind” with Alicia Keys comes from “Love on a Two Way Street.” Jay’s most famous sample was for Beyonce’s signature hit “Crazy in Love.” The horn intro and the basic song come Eugene Records’ Chi-Lites “Are You My Woman.” Whenever I hear the horns from “Crazy in Love” I think of Gene, a real genius.

Here’s Edwin Hawkins:

Here’s Dave Edmunds:

Exclusive: Author of Major New Kanye Sample More Right Wing Than Yeezy, Wrote a Song Against Proposed ‘Ground Zero Mosque’

Roger Friedman
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Exclusive: Author of Major New Kanye Sample More Right Wing Than Yeezy, Wrote a Song Against Proposed ‘Ground Zero Mosque’

Well, here I was so excited about a guy named Trade Martin. He wrote the main sample in Kanye West’s new album on the track “Ghost Town.” Most of “Ghost Town” comes from a song called “Take Me for a Little While” which was a hit for Vanilla Fudge in the 60s and Dave Edmunds in the 80s.

Martin is kind of a lesser known local New York pop writer and singer from the 60s. He sounds like Johnny Rivers (who if you don’t know, you should).

Anyway, I thought: this is great, Trade Martin will be discovered as an unsung hero.

Well, guess what Trade Martin’s been doing recently? Here’s his big song from the last 20 years “We’ve Got to Stop the Mosque at Ground Zero.” You know, for a few years there was a plan to build Muslim Cultural Center near the old World Trade Center. The alt right and Republicans went crazy. They tried to shut down the project. Eventually, the plan fell apart anyway. But the hatred toward Muslims on this project was palpable and visceral. And Kanye’s songwriter felt he had to do something about it.

What a shame. I’m taking “Ghost Town” off my play list. For once, I hope the sample didn’t get a big fee.

Brilliant or Dangerous? Kanye West 23 Minute Album Begins With Declaration: “I Thought About Killing You, Premeditated Murder”

Roger Friedman
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Brilliant or Dangerous? Kanye West 23 Minute Album Begins With Declaration: “I Thought About Killing You, Premeditated Murder”

Kanye West’s 23 minute album begins with a spoken word (rap) moment with these lyrics: “I thought about killing you/Premeditated murder. I thought about killing myself. And I love myself way more than I love you.” Of the seven tracks on the EP, “Thought about killing myself” is clearly about Kanye’s nervous breakdown.

Some critics will declare it breathtaking and disarming. But with Trumper Candace Owens at his side at last night’s multi million dollar launch party in the middle of Wyoming for the new album “Ye,” you have to wonder.

Menacing/frightening/find help/sometimes/I scare myself is the refrain of the second song, another disarming claim about Kanye’s mental state. Again, brilliant and jarring.

The whole of “Ye” is interesting in that it has nothing to do with Trump or West’s recent declarations for him or the embracing of people like Owens. You also have to wonder if Kanye took a page from Roseanne Barr, who used Trump followers to launch her TV show’s first episode, then never mentioned politics again on her series (although she had several other offensive moments).

My favorite lyric comes in “No Mistake”: “It’s been a shaky ass year.”

Kanye’s “Ye” is not random or scattershot. It’s pretty clearly thought out. After the first two songs address his mental problems– which are presented as universal– he veers to more of an easy listening R&B sound. The stand out is “Ghost Town” aka “Someday” written by and featuring John Legend and Kid Cudi.

Keep refreshing…

Two Weeks After Declaring “Slavery is a Choice” Kanye West Delivers Short Album on Wyoming Prairie with Right Wing Blogger at His Side

Roger Friedman
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Two Weeks After Declaring “Slavery is a Choice” Kanye West Delivers Short Album on Wyoming Prairie with Right Wing Blogger at His Side

It was only two weeks ago that Kanye West again embraced Donald Trump and declared “Slavery is a choice.”

Last night he dragged dozens of journalists and celebrities to the Wyoming prairie to hear his short, seven track new album called “Ye.”

The press junket went via private plane and waited around for hours for “Ye” to be played. Set for 10pm Eastern, it came off at midnight.

Who was there? Some rappers, some celebs like Chris Rock and Jonah Hill. Kim Karsdashian was there. too. She’s married to Kanye.

But so too was crazy right wing blogger Cameron Owens. Kanye likes the way she thinks. Owens loves Donald Trump and could set Black America back 100 years if she gets any kind of following.

And Kanye’s album? The first track, called “Premeditated Murder,” made me worry about Kim. Kanye says he thought about killing himself and killing her. “And I love myself more than I love you,” he says.

The rest of it is catchy, but it’s full of samples, features Charlie Wilson and Kid Cudi singing. I doubt anyone thought it was worth flying halfway across the country to nowhere.

We’ll see when more info comes in this morning…

 

Kanye West Spends Millions Flying Press to Wyoming, Also Right Wing Blogger Candace Owens

Roger Friedman
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Kanye West Spends Millions Flying Press to Wyoming, Also Right Wing Blogger Candace Owens

Right wing blogger Candace Owens is there. So that’s the deal, Kanye fans.

11:14pm Now one hour 15 minutes, nothing. I’m seeing pics of the people in Wyoming eating garbage from foil trays. They will wake up in WYOMING.

10:25PM UPDATE The album may be called “Bonfire of the Vanities.” On the app we are watching a bonfire. And this is all about vanity.

10:36 Beautiful horses grazing…

Kanye West has gotten Def Jam Universal to spend millions on a listening party for his new album in a place called Wyoming.

They flew press there tonight on private planes to preview a 7 track album that will drop anyway at midnight eastern time. It’s also streaming on an app called Wav.

The listening session is supposed to begin at 10pm. Seven minutes in, there is live shot of a small bonfire on a prairie.

I am home in New York eating Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Milk & Cookies, 140 calories a serving, laughing at the people who this place called Wyoming to hear SEVEN tracks.
KEEP REFRESHING…

10:17PM COWS AND HORSES ARE GRAZING IN A FIELD…
and I finished the ice cream.

Breaking: Grammy Chief Neil Portnow Stepping Down in July 2019

Roger Friedman
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Breaking: Grammy Chief Neil Portnow Stepping Down in July 2019

Grammys chief Neil Portnow has announced he’s stepping down in July 2019. He’s had a good long run in a very weird and political business. More to come…

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