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Habe es mal wegen dem coolen Cover gepostet auch wenn die Feature Gäste nur aus dem erweiterten Wu-Umfeld sind:

After over five years of a working relationship at Babygrande Records and Wu-Tang Clan-affiliated artists Bronze Nazareth, The Wiseman and Almighty left the New York label for Seattle's Sound Records & Entertainment.

A&R and Almighty founding member M-Eighty said, "It just felt like the right time to do what’s best for us. Almighty, Bronze Nazareth, and the Wisemen gave Babygrande gold and yet they somehow managed to turn it into shit. All the new material we have been recording for these three records is far too great to turn over to Babygrande and relive the headache of why we provide them with classic material and all we get in return in doctored accounting statements and excuses.” As the quote indicated, financial support and agreements were a major motive in the leave.

Bronze Nazareth, who produced on several Babygrande projects, from his own to 2008's Protools [click to read] album from GZA [click to read], added, "Our fans are going to follow us regardless of what label imprint is on the back of our product. Sound Records embraced all of us and brought us back to the essence of when a label made you feel like a member of the family and when you prosper as a family everyone wins.”

Legal Representative for the camp provided that, “Babygrande Records had the opportunity to retain the rights to the three entities (Bronze Nazareth, The Wisemen, and Almighty) and either chose not to meet their contracted fiscal option guarantees or their contracts became unenforceable due to the dissolution of partnering labels Think Differently Music Group (Bronze Nazareth) and Kings Row Music Group (The Wisemen).”

Wu-Tang members and affiliates GZA and 9th Prince are believed to still remain Babygrande artists.

At Sound Records & Entertainment, the three acts will reportedly all release albums within 45 days of each other, beginning in July of this year. This is billed as "The 3 Kingz Campaign." Wisemen member Kevlaar 7 noted, "This same camaraderie is what breathed new life into Duck Down Records when they partnered with Ecko a few years back. We want the world to know that are combined forces are unstoppable and the team is definitely here to stay.”

Sound will also release 60 Second Assassin's album [click to read], as well as a reported collaboration between Keith Murray and Canibus, coming soon.

March 13th , 2009

BABYGRANDE DROPS WU-TANG AFFILIATES BRONZE NAZARETH, ALMIGHTY & THE WISEMEN

After many years of working with Wu-Tang affiliates Bronze Nazareth, The Wisemen and most recently Almighty, Babygrande has chosen not to exercise its contractual options with these respective artists for future albums. "All of those artists made great records but unfortunately sales were below expectations and none of their projects were profitable. I wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors," says Chuck Wilson, Babygrande's CEO.

So I spoke to someone at BG (not CW) and here is what they told me:

Almighty:

S.I.N. came out in July 08 and have sold 2,221 to date. They didnt know exact figures but between their advance and the commercials they ran on MTV2, at least $15,000 was spent. They lost money.

Wisemen:

"Wisemen Approaching" came out in Feb 07 and have sold 3,311 to date. They lost money.

Bronze Nazareth:

Great Migration came out in April 06 and has sold 8,641 to date and the with advance given to both the artist and Think Differently and what they spent in total on the record, they lost money. They also said that due to legal complications, this record was removed from itunes by Apple and that really hurt sales.

They said the big problem with all of these numbers is that today, all of these artists will sell half of what they did on the last album because of piracy and retail store closings. They said that the advances in there contracts for future albums were locked in the contracts at such a high level that it made no economic sense to keep putting out records.

Lastly, they said that Babygrande more than any other label in the last five years has given new artists a shot (all of the albums above were debut retail albums) and that, while they are no means perfect, their claims of impropriety and poor handling of their records are "preposterous." I asked was CW upset about what they are saying and they said not at all and that "disgruntled artists are part of the game, especially when records are not selling like they used to."

Hope that info helps

das ging ja jetzt schnell mit der promo-ankündigung...

Wu-Tang Meets the Indie Culture was a watershed release for the independent hip-hop world. Now, for the first time, the album is available in this special instrumental only configuration. With production by RZA, Allah Math, Preservation (Mos Def), Bronze Nazareth & DJ Noize, this instrumental collection defines the cutting edge of underground production and serves as a gateway into the Wu-Tang world.