Mariah Carey Leaves Roc Nation for Management Representation with Range Media Partners

Posted on June 9, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Mariah Carey is expanding her range…

The 52-year-old half-Venezuelan Grammy-winning singer/songwriter has departed Roc Nation and partnered with Range Media Partners for management.

Carey will work with Melissa Ruderman, her former rep at Roc Nation who joined Range Media in January.

Carey’s move to Range Media follows a report in U.K. tabloid The Sun that the singer and Roc Nation founder Jay-Z fell out following an “explosive meeting.”

Carey, who signed with Roc Nation in November 2017, subsequently set out to quell the rumor by tweeting, “The only ‘explosive’ situation I’d ever ‘get into’ with Hov is a creative tangent, such as our #1 song ‘Heartbreaker.’”

Ruderman and Carey’s relationship goes back over 15 years, when Ruderman worked for manager Benny Medina and handled day-to-day management for Carey during the release cycle for her 2005 album The Emancipation of Mimi.

During her five-year stint at Roc Nation, Ruderman helped execute several major deals for Carey, including two consecutive residencies at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, a TV deal with Apple and a publishing contract that led to the publication of the New York Times-bestselling memoir The Meaning of Mariah Carey.

Carey has had a long list of managers over the years. Before signing with Roc Nation, she was with Stella Bulochnikov and, before that, Kevin Liles, with whom she signed in 2014 following the dissolution of her management relationship with longtime collaborator Jermaine Dupri. At various points earlier in her career, Carey was managed by ex-husband Tommy Mottola, Randy Jackson and Red Light Management.

Range Media Partners was launched in Sept. 2020 by former Entertainment One chief strategy officer Peter Micelli and a coalition of former CAA, WME and UTA agents.

Jennifer Lopez’s Nuyorican Productions Signs Multi-Year First Look Deal with Netflix

Posted on June 8, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Jennifer Lopez’s got the (first) look…

The 51-year-old Puerto Rican superstar’s production company Nuyorican Productions has signed a multi-year first-look deal with Netflix spanning feature films, television series and unscripted content, with an emphasis on projects that support diverse female actors, writers and filmmakers.

Lopez co-runs Nuyorican Productions with her producing partner Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas.

Lopez already has two feature projects in the works at the streamer including the Niki Caro-directed The Mother, and The Cipher, based on the Isabella Maldonado novel.

The Mother follows a deadly female assassin who comes out of hiding to teach her daughter how to survive. The multi-hyphenate is currently training for the role, with filming schedule for this autumn and the film is set for release in Q4 2022.

“I am excited to announce my new partnership with Netflix. Elaine, Benny (Medina) and I believe there is no better home for us than a forward leaning content creation company that seeks to defy conventional wisdom and directly market to the millions across the globe who no longer view art and entertainment with the kind of boundaries and limitations of the past. We at Nuyorican Productions are thrilled to find like-minded partners in Ted Sarandos, Scott Stuber, Bela Bajaria and the whole team and look forward to getting to work right away,” said Lopez.

“Throughout every aspect of her career, Jennifer Lopez has been a force in entertainment. In partnering with her and Nuyorican we know she will continue to bring impactful stories, joy and inspiration to audiences around the world,” said Netflix Head of Global Films Stuber,

Bajaria, Netflix Head of Global TV, said: “Jennifer is a singular talent whose creativity and vision have captivated audiences and inspired the next generation around the world. For years she and the team at Nuyorican have brought a distinctive voice to entertainment, and I’m looking forward to working with her and the team to create new series for our members to love.”

Lopez scored her best opening for a live-action movie at the domestic box office with STX’s 2019 stripper caper Hustlers, which debuted to $33.1 million, and grossed $105M stateside, $157.6M worldwide.

As a recording artist, Lopez has sold over 70 million albums, with J.Lo became her bestselling album with 3.8M copies sold in the U.S. and 12M global.

Marco Antonio Solís Signs Three-Year Worldwide Deal with Warner Chappell Music (WCM)

Posted on June 1, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Marco Antonio Solís is going to the Chappell…

The 61-year-old Mexican musician, singer, composer and record producer, one of the most respected, prolific and successful singer/songwriters in Latin music, has signed a three-year worldwide deal with Warner Chappell Music (WCM), according to Billboard.

The deal covers future works as well as most of Solís’ vast catalog, which includes global hits like “Si No Te Hubieras Ido,” “Más Que Tu Amigo,” “O Me Voy O Te Vas,” and “A Donde Vamos a Parar.”

Solís, who writes alone, holds the record for most No. 1 albums (12) on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart. He has also placed 50 songs on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, including 11 No. 1s.

“For decades [Marco’s] music has transcended time, touching the lives of music fans across generations,” says Gustavo Menendez, president U.S. Latin & Latin America, WCM. “As both a songwriter and recording artist he’s made a massive impact, laying the foundation for many who have followed him in both the regional Mexican and Mexican pop space. It’s an honor to represent one of the most important and hugely influential Latin music catalogs of all time.”

Solís, who began his storied career as the lead singer and composer of regional Mexican group Los Bukis, eventually launched a solo career, standing out as one of only a handful of regional Mexican acts who have successfully crossed over into pop music. Beyond his success as a recording artist, with five Latin Grammys to his name, Solís was also a prolific songwriter who’s been covered by a veritable who’s who of Latin stars, including Maná, Paulina Rubio and Enrique Iglesias.

Long signed to indie label Fonovisa, which was eventually acquired by Univision and later, by Universal, Solís decided to go independent a few years ago and has been releasing music under his own label, Marbella.

Likewise, his songs have long fallen under his own Crisma publishing.

Sech Renews Recording & Publishing Deal with RichMusic

Posted on May 28, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

It’s renewal time for Sech…

The 27-year-old Panamanian singer has renewed his recording and publishing deal with independent record label RichMusic.

Sech, a chart-topping, Latin Grammy-nominated artist known for his anthemic reggaeton songs like “Otro Trago” and “Relación,” signed the multi-million dollar deal last week in Miami.

During the signing, Sech was represented by Matt Greenberg (Ritholz, Levy, Fields, LLP) and RichMusic was represented by Oswaldo Rossi (Hertz Lichtenstein Young & Polk, LLP).

Under the new agreement, RichMusic will continue to exclusively release Sech’s recordings worldwide, and publish his music under the company’s new publishing division, The Pencil Pushers.

Bruno Mars Sells Portion of Song Catalog to Warner Chappell Music

Posted on May 24, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Bruno Mars is cashing in on his song catalog…

The 35-year-old part-Puerto Rican R&B superstar quietly sold off a portion of his song catalog to Warner Chappell Music more than six months ago, according to sources and confirmed by the company.

Mars typically collaborates with other writers, including The Smeezingtons, but only his portion of that team’s catalog was up for sale. Sources indicate Mars didn’t sell 100% of his share, retaining a minority stake in the songs sold to WCM.

Mars’ catalog includes solo hits like “Just The Way You Are,” “Grenade,” “Locked Out Of Heaven” and “The Lazy Song,” as well as tracks he co-wrote and appeared on such as B.o.B.‘s “Nothin’ On You” and Travie McCoy‘s “Billionaire.” His catalog also includes numerous co-writes for other artists, including CeeLo Green‘s “Fuck You” and Far East Movement‘s “Rocketeer,” among others.

According to ASCAP and BMI‘s Songview system, Mars has a stake in 232 songs.

“Bruno is a creative genius and it’s a huge honor to deepen our relationship with him,” Warner Chappell CEO Guy Moot said in a statement. “At the heart of his immense talents is his incredible songwriting, which he honed for years before he became a recording superstar. Like only a true great can, he’s mastered and transcended multiple musical genres with extraordinary originality and versatility. The world will continue to fall in love with his songs for generations to come.”

According to the RIAA, Mars is the first artist to secure five diamond certified singles — 10 million equivalent song consumption units: “Grenade” “Just the Way Your Are,” “That’s What I Like,” and “When I Was Your Man,” plus his featured performance on Mark Ronson‘s “Uptown Funk.”

“I began my career at Atlantic and it made sense to keep my business in the family, with the team who have supported me and grown with me,” Mars said in a statement supplied to Billboard by Warner Chappell. “This is me doubling down with people I trust. We’re just at the beginning of the journey and there’s so much more to come.”

Jeronimo Folgueira Named New Deezer CEO

Posted on May 21, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Jeronimo Folgueira is ready to lead…

Global audio streaming service Deezer has hired the Spanish executive to be its new CEO, the company has annouced.

Hans-Holger Albrecht, who has led Deezer since 2015, will step down and join Deezer’s board of directors. Albrecht will remain CEO through the end of June, with Folgueira taking over the position on July 1.

“I couldn’t be more excited to join Deezer,” Folgueira said in a statement. “They hold a unique place in our hearts and Deezer’s team has built a service that is the perfect companion to people’s daily lives. Deezer is a key player and contributor to the fast growth of music streaming around the world. We have a highly competitive platform with unique features that listeners love. That means we’re in a great place to accelerate our growth and capture many new opportunities, which will benefit both artists and music fans. I look forward to getting to know the team and writing the next chapter in the company’s history together.”

From 2015 to 2019, Folgueira was the CEO of Spark Networks, the online dating conglomerate that owns Christian Mingle, Jdate, and Zoosk among others. During his tenure, Folgueira quadrupled the Berlin-based company’s annual revenue to 250 million euros ($304 million) in 2019, before stepping down.

Albrecht says Deezer has grown its revenue by more than 300% in the last five years, and the platform now averages over 600 monthly streams per active user. “With the support of all shareholders and partners, a passionate team of 600 people have built the fourth largest global audio streaming service in the world,” Albrecht said in a statement. “We have a clear strategy in place to deliver long-term, sustainable growth and value for shareholders, artists and users.”

The French streaming service, largely popular in Europe, has 16 million monthly active users and is available in 180 countries around the world. Owned by Len Blavatnik’s Access Industries (which also owns Warner Music Group), Deezer was one of the earliest services to embrace high-fidelity streaming, launching its high-fidelity tier in September 2014, long before the current rush to promote better sound quality began.

Deezer cut the price of its hi-fi tier from $20 a month to $15 after Amazon Music HD launched at the lower price in September 2019, but with the recent price decreases to $10 a month for hi-fi streaming by Amazon and Apple Music, Folgueira will have to determine whether to match the rate offered by a pair of trillion-dollar companies and aim for scale or attempt to maintain Deezer’s margins at a less competitive price point.

With Spotify preparing its own hi-definition service that will arrive in the coming months, an era of increased competition among music streaming services awaits Folgueira in his new role.

Bad Bunny Becomes Co-Owner of Puerto Rico’s Los Cangrejeros de Santurce

Posted on May 18, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Bad Bunny is officially a baller…

Following his impressive WWE activities, which earned him high praise from pro wrestlers, the 27-year-old Puerto Rican Latin trap and reggaeton superstar (real name Benito Antonio Martinez) is continuing his sporting efforts.

This time, Bad Bunny has become a co-owner of Puerto Rico’s basketball team Los Cangrejeros de Santurce.

The Puerto Rican superstar, alongside Rimas’ Jonathan Miranda and Noah Assad, has been named partner of the renewed franchise, which also announced a revamped team and image.

“The main purpose and commitment of this initiative are to help foster positive change on the island,” noted an official statement. “The goal is to promote a better future through sports, music, and the arts. The main objective is to encourage ideas and dreams in Puerto Rican youth, which provoke an authentic and real social transformation.”

Los Cangrejeros de Santurce also unveiled the return of NBA star Jose Juan Barea, who played for the Dallas Mavericks, as the team’s point guard.

Founded in 1918, Los Cangrejeros de Santurce is known as one of the most successful Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) franchises, winning eight championships.

https://twitter.com/CangrejerosB/status/1394291638638424064

Henry R. Muñoz III Acquires Funny or Die

Posted on May 15, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Henry R. Muñoz III is preparing for a little funny business…

The 61-year-old Latino designer, activist and philanthropist has acquired early digital video player Funny or Die.

Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Judd Apatow and Chris Henchy co-founded Funny or Die in 2007. Ferrell and McKay appeared in one of the company’s first breakout clips, The Landlord.

Muñoz bought Funny Or Die from its former stakeholders, a group that included AMC Networks, Turner Entertainment and Sequoia Capital. Ferrell will continue to collaborate creatively with Funny Or Die and serve as an advisor.

Muñoz be sole owner of the Funny Or Die brand, and the acquisition also includes its library, longform slate and social media portfolio of more than 40 million followers.

Financial terms for the transaction were not disclosed.

After the transaction, Muñoz will become chairman of Funny or Die. Mike Farah will continue as CEO. Michele Rosette, who has been the CFO of Funny Or Die since 2016, will remain in her role. Joe Farrell, who oversees Funny Or Die’s longform slate, has been promoted to Chief Creative Officer.

From its roots in short-form, viral video, Funny or Die has evolved into a supplier of series like Brockmire, whose run on IFC ended last year, and this year’s History of Swear Words on Netflix.

Other credits include true crime docuseries For Heaven’s Sake on Paramount + and the Feeding America Comedy Special for NBC.

The pivot followed challenges in recent years as smaller video purveyors have faced daunting economics when reckoning with the forces of tech giants like YouTube and Facebook. Like many digital outlets, Funny or Die had to lay off staff and restructure as it navigated the 2010s.

The arrival of Muñoz will enable the company to deficit-finance certain projects, the company said, promising to reveal more specifics about that strategy at a later date.

A CBS special produced by Funny or Die last fall connected the company with Muñoz and wound up leading to the acquisition. Essential Heroes: A Momento Latino Event, hosted by Eva Longoria, Ricky Martin and Gloria Estefan, celebrated America’s diversity with a focus on Latinx culture and highlighted the impact of Covid-19.

Muñoz has operated at high levels in the realms of politics, art, business, public affairs and philanthropy. In addition to his own design practice, he has launched national movements including Momento Latino, TheDream.US and Latino Victory in support of the Latinx community. He is the cofounder of SOMOS US, a healthcare network in New York treating largely immigrant communities. It has been on the front lines during the coronavirus pandemic.

His design firm, Muñoz & Company, is one of the largest and oldest minority-owned design practices in the country. It pioneered an approach to architecture, urban planning, and design that acknowledges the imprint of the Latino community. He also helped with the effort to create a Latino Museum on the Mall in Washington, DC, and is the Finance Chairman Emeritus of the Democratic National Committee, the first openly gay, openly Latino and openly Texan person to hold that position.

“The future of comedy and entertainment is in companies that empower talent and creative forces to make content that reflects the cultural identity of our country at this moment in our history,” Muñoz said in the official deal announcement. “Funny Or Die’s own rich history as a place of innovation and as a voice of new generations speaks for itself and our team led by Mike Farah is poised to seize this unique moment. I understand the responsibilities of owning a brand like Funny Or Die and I am excited to work with our team to make sure we have the resources we need to develop funny, original and diverse new content.”

He went on to note the importance of his sole ownership of the company. “I also understand the importance of being one of the very few Latinos in a position like this in the entertainment industry and I will do my best to make my community, our industry and our country proud as we move forward,” he added. Diversity and inclusion will be more central to the company’s mission moving forward, he noted.

Farah said Muñoz’s “unique background in social activism and business” makes him the “perfect person to guide FOD into the future.” He added, “The company is in great hands with Henry, and he’s brought a new sense of purpose to our mission to empower original, authentic creators in comedy and beyond.”

Manuel Abud Named New CEO of The Latin Recording Academy

Posted on May 15, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Manuel Abud is movin’ on up…

The Board of Trustees of The Latin Recording Academy has appointed the Mexican executive as CEO of the organization effective August 1 as part of its 10-year strategic plan.

Outgoing President/CEO Gabriel Abaroa, Jr. will become President Emeritus, a senior advisory role that will include working on assigned strategic projects while assisting the new chief executive officer in the transition.

“I am delighted to have led a succession plan that was designed with professionalism, respect, love and consistency,” said the organization’s Chairman of the Board Eduardo Hütt. “Several candidates were considered to replace Gabriel’s unique leadership style, and we agreed that Manuel Abud meets the established criteria, excelling in ways that guarantee our organization the leadership required to accomplish its goals over the next decade. The plan was carefully executed, and Manuel was groomed over an extended period.”

“We achieved tremendous progress and growth over the past two decades. I’m eager to transition to a new role that won’t be as time consuming and certain that Manuel will take us boldly into our next chapter,” said Abaroa.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to lead The Latin Recording Academy,” said Abud. “Before coming here in 2019, I had long admired the organization’s excellence, and I look forward to building on its rich heritage of supporting and honoring Latin music and ushering in a new era of growth and impact.”

“This is a wonderfully executed succession plan,” said Harvey Mason Jr., Chair & Interim President/CEO of the Recording Academy. “Having Manuel in the role of COO for two years, where he oversaw the day-to-day operation of the organization was invaluable in equipping him to lead it now. Manuel is a seasoned executive with an excellent background in content development, distribution and international markets. As he takes the reins, he will benefit from Gabriel’s tenure, continued presence and unrivaled passion for this organization.”

While COO of the Latin Academy, Abud successfully led a major reorganization, maximizing efficiencies and accelerating digital content development. In addition, he developed strong and clear positioning for the organization, leveraging its heritage and plans.

Abud will lead a seasoned executive team that includes Luis Dousdebes, Chief Awards, Membership and Preservation Officer and a 20-year veteran at The Latin Academy; Javier Aguirre, Chief Financial Officer; Davina Aryeh, Chief Business Development Officer; Laura Dergal, Vice President of Marketing and Content Development; Iveliesse Malavé, Vice President of Communications; and Aida Scorza, Senior Vice President of Awards, who has served both the Recording Academy and The Latin Recording Academy for more than 30 years.

Tanya Ramos-Puig, who was appointed President of the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation in April, will continue reporting to both the Board of the Foundation and the CEO of The Latin Academy.

Robert Trujillo & Metallica’s Blackened Whiskey Now Sold Online

Posted on May 12, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Robert Trujillo is helping you get blackened online…

Blackened, the well-received whiskey release that hails from the 56-year-old half-Mexican American musician and songwriter and his Metallica band mates, is now available online.

First introduced a few years ago as a super limited-edition release, the whiskey is now available for purchase online at ReserveBar ($42, for a 750ml bottle).

Inspired by the song, “Blackened,” and the great American whiskey-making tradition, BLACKENED is a collaboration between Master Distiller Dave Pickerell and Metallica.

The premium whiskey uses a blend of hand-selected, well-aged bourbons and ryes, that are then uniquely finished in black brandy casks.

The distillery says the whiskey blend is aged for at least eight years.

The finishing touch: the casks are then blasted with a custom Metallica playlist, specially selected and arranged by the band themselves.

Pickerell and his team called this a “BlackNoise” finishing process, stating that “the low frequency sound waves force the whiskey to penetrate deeper into the barrel, extracting more caramel, honey and vanilla flavors from the wood.” As you can imagine, the music has to hit a certain volume and frequency range for the desired effect to take place. The result: a bold yet balanced whiskey, that’s rich in flavor yet smooth enough to sip neat or on the rocks.

Aside from the burnt caramel, oak and honey on the nose, tasting notes of Metallica’s BLACKENED whiskey include hints of cinnamon, allspice, dark fruit, clove and mint, with a finish of butterscotch taffy and maple.

Every batch of BLACKENED will come with an accompanying playlist curated by Metallica and available to listen to at blackenedwhiskey.com.

While it was sold out during its original run, you can now buy Metallica’s BLACKENED Whiskey online at ReserveBar.com. And while Metallica has been the winner of eight Grammy awards to date, the band’s whiskey just took home a new accolade as well: BLACKENED Whiskey was awarded a Gold Medal at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2020.

Find out more about Metallica’s BLACKENED Whiskey and order a bottle for delivery at ReserveBar.com.

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