business
‘Nevermind’ Baby Revives Child Porn Lawsuit Against Nirvana
The man who appeared as a nude baby on the cover of Nirvana’s album Nevermind has refiled his lawsuit claiming that the iconic image violated child pornography laws, less than two weeks after it was dismissed by a federal judge. Citing a blown deadline, the judge dismissed the case last week, but he gave Spencer Elden – the now-30-year-old man featured on the 1991 album cover – “one last opportunity” to refile his lawsuit “if plaintiff still wishes to pursue this action.” On Wednesday, attorneys for Elden did so, once again accusing the band of breaching federal child pornography laws by using “a lascivious exhibition of Spencer’s genitals” for commercial gain. “The focal point of the Nevermind album cover is Spencer’s genitals and pubic area,” Elden’s attorneys wrote in the new complaint,...
Northwest Arkansas offering $10K in Bitcoin to attract remote workers
The Northwest Arkansas Council, consisting of business leaders aimed at promoting development in the region, has announced a crypto incentive program to bring in tech professionals and entrepreneurs willing to work remotely. In a Wednesday announcement, council president and CEO Nelson Peacock said the area would be looking to expand its range of talent in the tech industry by offering $10,000 in Bitcoin (BTC) — roughly 0.23 BTC at the current price of $43,610 — in addition to a bicycle or membership to arts and cultural facilities. The “Bitcoin and a Bike” program, the next stage of the area’s Life Works Here initiative, is specifically aimed at embracing professionals in blockchain-related fields. The program will offer the crypto incentive to qualifying individuals willing to live for a...
Seattle’s Bumbershoot Festival Secures New Local Producer
Seattle’s beloved Bumbershoot Arts & Culture festival has secured a new producer. Seattle Center – part of the Uptown Arts & Cultural District and home to Climate Pledge Arena – has selected the New Rising Sun coalition as its production partner to reimagine the local event. New Rising Sun is a coalition of Seattle-based arts, entertainment and cultural leaders. The group was founded by Neumos co-owner Steven Severin, Museums of Museums founder Greg Lundgren and McCaw Hall general manager Joe Paganelli. The founders will be supported by a team of Seattle’s business and community leaders, activists, artists and entrepreneurs in their work to develop a reimagined Bumbershoot. “Seattle arts are kick-ass, and we’re so excited to be partnering with Seattle Center to re-imagine...
Tupac’s Sister Says Trustee ‘Embezzled Millions’ From Mother’s Estate
Tupac Shakur’s sister is suing the executor of their late mother’s estate, accusing him of having “embezzled millions” and refusing to hand over personal items with “tremendous sentimental value” that belonged to the hip-hop legend, including gold records. Explore See latest videos, charts and news In a lawsuit filed Monday (Jan 10) in Los Angeles court, Sekyiwa Shakur and The Tupac Shakur Foundation accused Tom Whalley of “blatant violations” of his duties as the executor of Afeni Shakur-Davis’s estate, including allegedly installing himself in a key management role despite a conflict of interest. “He has effectively embezzled millions of dollars for his own benefit,” Sekyiwa wrote. “Whalley has unreasonably enriched himself at the expense of the beneficiaries and in bad faith by taking e...
Capitol U.K. Co-President Nick Raphael Exits Company
Nick Raphael, the co-president of Capitol Records U.K., has exited the company, sources confirmed to Billboard. No reason was given for the exec’s departure, which was said to be amicable, in news that was first reported by Record of the Day. Raphael was named president of Capitol’s British outpost upon its launch in April 2013, when he moved from London Records to take over the newly-standalone frontline, shortly after Steve Barnett took the reins at Capitol Music Group. His exit comes weeks after Michelle Jubelirer was named the new chairman/CEO of CMG globally. Co-president Jo Charrington will continue to lead the label as its sole president moving forward, sources tell Billboard. Charrington has a long history alongside Raphael, having moved from London Records to Capitol U.K. in 2013 ...
‘La La Land’ Composer Sues WME, Says Agency Cheated Him Out of Concert Profits
The Oscar-winning composer behind the music to La La Land is suing his former talent agency, William Morris Endeavor, for “cynically and systemically” defrauding him out of profits for live concerts of the movie’s score. In a blistering complaint filed Monday (Jan. 10) in Los Angeles court, attorneys for Justin Hurwitz accused his former agency of “deceiving” the composer with secret agreements and other “shocking conduct” in order to unfairly pocket the money from a series of so-called live-to-film performances. “Given WME’s underhanded actions and its unrepentant behavior subsequently, Hurwitz has no choice but to bring this lawsuit so that he can expose WME’s blatant conflict of interests,” wrote Hurtwitz’s attorneys, Bryan Freedman and Tamar Yeghiayan of the law firm Freedman + Taitelm...
CID Presents to Move Forward with Mexico Destination Events Following Dead & Co Cancellation
Event producer CID Presents plans to move forward with its current slate of destination events in Mexico following the cancellation of Dead & Company’s Playing in the Sand weekends. Playing in the Sand was scheduled to take place between Jan. 7-10 and 13-16 in Riviera Cancun, Mexico before the band and producers announced the cancellations Thursday due to the surge in COVID-19 cases across the globe. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news In a statement provided to Billboard, CID Presents says they intend to proceed with their other January events at the same location, including Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa (Jan. 19-22) and Hootie and the Blowfish’s The Big Splash (Jan. 26-29). “As we all know this is an ever-evolving situation and the rise and fal...
Selena Gomez Thanks Rare Beauty Team With Full-Page Ad in ‘New York Times’
Selena Gomez “was inspired to sit down and personally write” a letter to her Rare Beauty team over the holiday break, and she published that letter on the back page of the Styles section of Sunday’s New York Times. “I want to thank you for all your hard work in making the brand such a beloved part of our community. None of it would have been possible without you,” she wrote in the full-page letter, published on Jan. 9. Explore See latest videos, charts and news “My goal with Rare Beauty was to launch a brand that helped shape the dialogue around the beauty of self-acceptance and embracing your uniqueness — something that has been desperately needed in the beauty space. The heart of this brand is in recognizing that we’re not meant to look a certain way, and that we’re all unique and differ...
Glastonbury Festival Slid to Record £3.1 Million Loss Last Year Amid Pandemic
LONDON – Glastonbury Festival lost £3.1 million ($4.2 million) last year when it cancelled the event for a second consecutive summer because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the company’s latest financial results. Accounts filed with Companies House, the U.K.’s registrar of businesses, reveal that in the year ended March 31, 2021, turnover fell to £936,000 ($1.3 million), down from £45 million ($61 million) in the previous financial year. The total operating loss of just over £3.1 million for 2021, which followed a loss of £358,780 ($487,600) in 2020, is understood to be a record drop for the 52-year-old festival. But Glastonbury said it was able to cover the losses with profits retained from previous years. Paul McCartney, Kendrick Lamar and Taylor Swift had been due to headline the...
Ex-Member of The Rascals Can’t Stop Bandmates From Using Name, Judge Rules
An ex-member of the classic rock band The Rascals cannot block his former bandmates from using the name for a reunion tour, a Manhattan federal judge has ruled. Eddie Brigati accused two of his former bandmates of breaching contracts and infringing trademarks by using the “Rascals” name as part of a 2018 tour, but U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl dismissed those accusations in a ruling on Thursday. The judge cited a number of different reasons for why Brigati’s claims were legally flawed, most notably that Brigati – who left the band way back in 1970 — had long ago legally “abandoned” his interest in the “Rascals” trademark through decades of disuse. “Brigati has failed to show that he performed even one time under any version of The Rascals name between 1970 and 2012,” Judge Koeltl wrot...
Grammys Could Be Moving, Have a Hold on a Venue in Las Vegas
Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena could be the host venue for the 2022 Grammys, sources tell Billboard. Other venues are under consideration to host the rescheduled awards show, sources say, but Recording Academy officials have quietly placed a hold on the MGM Grand Garden Arena, which in just two days has gone from backup-plan venue to front-runner due to the lack of available replacement venues in Los Angeles. Located on the Las Vegas Strip inside the MGM Grand hotel and casino, the 29-year-old sports and music venue has operated as a joint venture between AEG and MGM Resorts International since 2016 when the two companies built the T-Mobile Arena, which they own and operate as a 50-50 joint venture. In terms of hosting the 2022 Grammys, it meets two essential requirements – it’s av...
John Legend Sells Music Catalog to BMG and KKR
John Legend is taking “All of Me” to another level, selling his signature song as part of a larger portfolio of compositions which were acquired last year by BMG and global investment firm KKR, Billboard has confirmed. As first reported by Bloomberg, the EGOT recipient sold both his personal share of the copyrights to his compositions as well as the recorded music royalties for his music dated 2004 thru early 2021 to the partnering companies for an undisclosed sum back in September. A UCC regulatory filing indicated that DL Music IP LP, an affiliate of KKR Credit Advisors, and BMG Rights Management each purchased a 50% stake in the Legend catalog. BMG and KKR have not formally announced the acquisition, and financial details of the sale are not yet known. Both companies declined requests t...
