Times are rough. I got fired from a management company I was working at a year ago; a week before Christmas. That was scary. And that was before this economic recession. I’m just so thankful for what I have going and to be making a living off music. According to some of my friends and Gawker.com:
The 850 layoffs at Viacom today—including hundreds at MTV—are claiming the livelihoods of tons of hardworking people who did their jobs well without ever receiving fame and fortune. And just like when a jumbo jet crashes with hundreds of souls aboard, the first question is: “Were any celebrities involved?” You know you were thinking that, you heartless swine. Well (according to an unconfirmed rumor from an inside tipster), your third-favorite MTV correspondent-for-life, John Norris, was laid off today. After the jump, we’ve got other reports from the Viacom scene.
Is it true, John? Email us if you know more. This would be quite a blow for, ah, journalism—how many people have interviewed both Mariah Carey and Hans Blix?
We’ve gotten these other harrowing reports from the trenches as well (new reports added to the top):
* “Its bad at Vh1 on Hudson Street. Dozens let go. Security guys on each floor “observing”. Lots of staff across the board gone, some that have been here for many years. The mood is bleak.”
* “Awkward day here at MTVN. I’m a humble Production Assistant for Nickelodeon, and we just found out all we low level staff are okay for the time being. The layoffs on our floor were pretty dramatic: an entire department laid off, and our senior vice president, and a department head at N@N. Looks to be more of a management/higher-up bloodbath from here. And Nickelodeon is one of the few brands actually making money…”
* “I work at 1515 Broadway (the Viacom building) and in the elevators, the newstory about the 850 layoffs keeps coming up on the captivate tvs. Pretty classy…”
* “So far at least 5 people have been let go from MTV.com. Mostly producers and associate producers who were supposed to be creating original content. Well, they haven’t been producing anything for awhile and the writing was on the wall.”
Not sure if you guys have heard but Prop 8 passed in California which amends the state constitution to ban gay marriage. There have been SO many protests in LA since the election. Well, some of the funniest people in Hollywood banned together to campaign against Prop 8 via musical comedy. Hilarity ensues.
This is really funny
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| From Elitaste |
Although I’m disappointed that’s The Roots “Rising Down” didn’t get nominated (full list HERE), three other DC artists got noms: Raheem DeVaughn, Wayna and Kokayi.
Category 27
Best Urban/Alternative Performance
(For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances, with vocals. Singles or Tracks only.)
* Say Goodbye To Love
Kenna
Track from: Make Sure They See My Face
[Star Trak/Interscope]
* Wanna Be
Maiysha
Track from: This Much Is True:
[Eusonia Records]
* Be OK
Chrisette Michele Featuring will.i.am
Track from: I Am
[Def Jam]
* Many Moons
Janelle Monae
Track from: Metropolis: The Chase Suite (Special Edition)
[Wondaland/Bad Boy]
* Lovin You (Music)
Wayna Featuring Kokayi
Track from: Higher Ground
[Quiet Power Productions, LLC]
Category 28
Best R&B Song
(A Songwriter(s) Award. For Song Eligibility Guidelines see Category #3. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)
* Bust Your Windows
Salaam Remi & Jazmine Sullivan, songwriters (Deandre Way, songwriter) (Jazmine Sullivan)
Track from: Fearless
[J Records; Publishers: Nappy Puddy Music/Universal Music-Z Tunes, Salaam Remi Music/EMI April Music, Soulja Boy Tellem Music/Croomstacular Music]
* Customer
I. Barias, Raheem DeVaughn, C. Haggins, K. Oliver & J. Smith, songwriters (Raheem DeVaughn)
Track from: Love Behind The Melody
[Jive; Publishers: Universal Music-Z Tunes/Ahmad's World/Universal Music/Nivrac Tyke Music/Fresh Paint Music/HC 1030 Publishing/Universal Music/Tetragrammaton Music/Melodic Piano Productions/HC 1030 Publishing]
* Heaven Sent
Keyshia Cole, Jason Farmer & Alex Francis, songwriters (Keyshia Cole)
Track from: Just Like You
[Geffen; Publishers: She Wrote It/BMG Songs, J Vibe Publishing, Lex Project Publishing]
* Miss Independent
M.S. Eriksen, T.E. Hermansen & S. Smith, songwriters (Ne-Yo)
Track from: Year Of The Gentleman
[Def Jam/Compound; Publishers: Pen In The Ground Publishing, Universal Music-Z Tunes]
* Spotlight
Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen & Shaffer Smith, songwriters (Jennifer Hudson)
[Arista Records; Publishers: Super Sayin' Publishing/Universal Music-Z Songs, Sony/ATV Tunes, EMI Music Publishing]
Sean Avery of the Dallas Stars is suspended by the NHL for making comments about a Calgary Flame dating his ex-girlfriend Elisha Cuthbert (see above). Mind you this is the same guy who had a new NHL rule named after him: The Avery Rule
From 939wkys.com
In memory of Sean Taylor
EZ Street, 93.9 WKYS afternoon drive personality along with Grammy nominated artists Raheem Devaugh, Anwan Glover aka Big G, the HBO�s hit series The Wire and NBC�s Law and Order and founding member of the Backyard Band, Miss Kim, lead female vocalist of Rare Essence, DC rap sensation Wale and Jamil “Face” Johnson have come together to create this lyrical masterpiece of dedication to the late Sean Taylor.
�The idea for doing this song is simple. To honor # 21 Sean and to send a message that to the community that we must never forget that there is still much work to do stop the violence in our community. Sean�s tragic death acts a reminder�, says EZ Street.
Any Given Sunday was written by the R&B hit making songwriter Raheem Devaugh and produced by Jamil “Face” Johnson who has worked with the likes of T-Pain Raheem DeVaughn, Talib Kweli, Gangstarr. In addition BIG G, Ms KIM, Hazel, Wale, King Pin Slim, Duece your Highness.
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| From Elitaste |
Updated: CONGRATS TO CHRISTOPHER HERNANDEZ. HE NAMED EVERY SNEAKER PLUS THE WHITE/BLUE JORDAN PHLY’S ON THE TOP RIGHT!! I am reposting this contest because nobody has gotten it right yet. Some of yall are super lazy with your responses. Come on now. Some of yall have been very thorough but I am still missing some. The burgundy and gold joints on the bottom right are some Reebok basketball sneakers from St. Anthony’s High School in NJ. I don’t expect any of yall to get those. But there is one pair of shoes (Nikes) that nobody has mentioned in the picture above (they are not in any other pic)
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| From Elitaste |
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| From Elitaste |
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| From Elitaste |
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| From Elitaste |
To the person who can identify the most sneakers in my closet (must identify different colorways too), I got a pair of free tickets to Wale’s show at Highline Ballroom on December 9th with UCB, Kid Cudi, Colin Munroe, Che Grand, Mark Ronson and Nick Catchdubs. Submit answers via email to RSVP@elitaste.com. Winner will be announced as soon as someone answers correctly. If nobody gets all of them, I will award the tickets to the high score. I suggest looking at every picture very carefully.
UPDATE: Sending me an email like this “i see some J’s 8, 9, 10 spizikes.them green and white adidas with thte dot stripes. some barkleys i think. a pair of 23’s. pair aof lebrons. 2 pairs of prada. them sb’s on the top right. forgot the name. i see a pair of the original 95’s lime and grey. i see some DC Foammies black and grey, pair of clarks , and i think nike structure triax forgot what they called. and i think your your wifey left them pink monstroties of a nike in there too.” is not how you win this contest. I need a detailed list.
So stadium rock right now! I kinda like it. Not sure if I’d listen over original but I could see DJ’s cutting into this. Click HERE to download.
