The Inc. label head Irv Gotti, who’s been known more for legal battles is now paired up with a new and unusual collaborator. Vanessa Carlton, best known for her 2002 hit “A Thousand Miles”, will release her latest album, Heroes and Thieves on the Motown backed label, primarily known for Hip Hop and R&B. “I think Irv is a fantastic A&R man, and he really can’t contain his excitement,” Carlton tells Billboard. “He has like, no filter, when it comes to expressing himself, and I thought that unbounded energy was so appealing. He’s a fantastic music executive. They’re hard to find. So, I took the step.” Her first single, “Nolita Fairytale” hits radio in July.
Brooklyn emcee/producer El-P will team up Free Yr. Radio for a free show at a New York Urban Outfitters. The show will take place July 12. Co-sponsored by WHNU 88.7, one lucky listener will win a new Toyota Yaris. For more information on the show, check out www.freeyrradio.com.
Electronic Arts has amassed an eclectic mix of top Hip-Hop artists for the soundtrack of its Madden ’08 franchise. Timbaland, Swizz Beatz, Murs and Pitbull are among the many names that will provide songs for the game. The Madden series has always enjoyed popularity among the Hip-Hop crowd; Electronic Arts named Jermaine Dupri as the producer for Madden NFL 2000. The 2008 edition follows EA’s plan to make downloadable music from all of their games available for purchase directly through its own website, www.ea.com/eatrax, as well as via iTunes. The music will be free of digital rights management restrictions, allowing it to play on various competing mp3 players and multiple home computers.
“The annual goal of the Madden NFL soundtrack is to give unprecedented exposure to new artists, bring established stars to a whole new level, and single-handedly define the sound of the coming year via the biggest sports franchise in video game history,” said EA’s Woldwide Executive of Music and Marketing Steve Schnur.
This year’s edition of the game will ship on all major gaming platforms on August 14.
Full tracklist for Madden NFL ‘08:
Airbourne — “Runnin’ Wild”
Atreyu — “Becoming the Bull”
The Bravery — “Believe”
Brother Ali — “Whatcha Got”
Daddy Yankee — “Impacto”
Datarock — “The New Song”
Earl Greyhound — “S.O.S.”
Enter Shikari — “OK, Time for Plan B”
From Autumn to Ashes — “Daylight Slaving”
Hellyeah — “You Wouldn’t Know”
The Hives — “Tick Tick Boom”
Jupiter One — “Countdown”
MIMS — “Cop It”
Murs — “Dreadlocks”
O-Solo — “Monsta”
Operator — “Soulcrusher”
Ozzy Osbourne — “I Don’t Wanna’ Stop”
Pharoahe Monch (featuring Showtyme) — “Desire”
Pitbull (featuring Don Omar) — “Fuego” (remix)
Queens Of The Stone Age — “3’s & 7’s”
Red1 (featuring Afu-Ra) — “Dem No Worry We”
Shadows Fall — “Redemption”
Swizz Beatz — “It’s Me Snitches”
Sum 41 — “Underclass Hero”
Team Shadetek (featuring 77Klash & Jahdan) — “Brooklyn Anthem”
The Used — “The Ripper”
Timbaland (featuring Justin Timberlake) — “Release”
Yellowcard — “Fighting”
Zion I & the Grouch — “Hit ‘Em”
Reported By: A-Plus & Omar Burgess
