(Image: File)

Brand baron Sean “Diddy” Combs is adding yet another venture onto his extensive, multi-million dollar empire. Combs is expanding his brand with the launch of a music-themed cable network, according to a report from Broadcasting & Cable.

The new channel, Revolt, will launch on Dec. 12 and be distributed via Comcast.  The entertainment mogul is reportedly working alongside former MTV programming executive Andy Schuon on the music/music news channel.

The deal comes nearly a year after the cable provider announced it would solicit proposals for “independent channels” as a promise to the Federal Communications Commission to help launch-minority-owned networks. Comcast plans to launch 10 over the next eight years, including four under African-American control, two being majority Hispanic-owned and two being operated by American Latino programmers.

Combs is no stranger to television. He launched a bevy of branded series for MTV, including three successful iterations of Making the Band, a spinoff, Making His Band, and P. Diddy’s Starmaker, as well as VH1’s I Want to Work for Diddy, a series documenting the tycoon’s search for an assistant. The entrepreneur has also made appearances on several shows, from CSI: Miami to Entourage.

With Bad Boy Records, marketing firm Blue Flame, clothing lines Sean Jean and Enyce under his belt and the Diageo vodka deal, Diddy is making a pretty penny—or more like plethora of cash—with an estimated net worth of $500 million.

Dwight "Heavy D" Myers 1967 - 2011

On November 8, 2011, hip-hop pioneer Dwight Myers, known to music fans as the front man for Heavy D & the Boyz, died after collapsing from chest pain near his Beverly Hills residence at the age of 44. His passing came just a day after news of iconic boxer Joe Frazier’s death.

During the course of his diverse career, Heavy made waves as an artist and went on to serve as an executive at Uptown Records and Sean John (big and tall line). He also had a budding acting career; most recently appearing in Eddie Murphy’s Tower Heist. Releasing a new album, Love Opus, earlier this year, Heavy wowed fans with his closing performance at the 2011 BET Hip-Hop Awards, which was well received by music lovers both young and placed him on the verge of a major comeback. Sadly, those plans never came to fruition.

In what was one of Heavy D’s final interviews, V103 Atlanta radio personality Ramona Debreaux and comedian Chris Spencer spoke with the legendary entertainer shortly after he left the Hip-Hop Awards stage. BlackEnterprise.com secured footage of this exclusive sit-down, where Heavy D reminisced about his favorite artists, the global impact of hip-hop, and his own mortality, while flipping through the pages of the new coffee table book, Hip Hop, A Cultural Odyssey.

Watch Heavy D’s final interview below.

Heavy D fans will appreciate the new coffee table book, Hip Hop, A Cultural Odyssey. To purchase your copy of Hip Hop, A Cultural Odyssey click here and every 10 books sold will result in a copy being donated to a HBCU library.

Heavy D Dead at 44

Just one day after losing legendary boxer Joe Frazier, and on the evening that rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West storm New York’s Madison Square Garden for their “Watch the Throne” tour, the music industry mourns the sudden death of rapper Heavy D. The rapper, whose real name is Dwight Arrington Myers, collapsed Tuesday morning and was rushed to the emergency room at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after a neighbor near his Beverly Hills home called an ambulance. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. At press time, cause of death was still unknown. Heavy D recently performed on BET’s Hip Hop Honors and reportedly had a new album in the works.

Read more at CNN…

• Legendary Boxer Joe Frazier Dead At 67
  

Joe Frazier, the heavyweight champion most famous for handing Muhammad Ali his first defeat, died Monday night after succumbing to cancer. He was 67.

Frazier was diagnosed with cancer last month, according to his personal and business manager. Through September, Frazier had been doing regular autograph appearances.

Leslie Wolff, who has been Frazier’s manager for seven years, said the boxer had been in and out of the hospital since early October and receiving hospice treatment until the last week of his life.

Read more at The Grio…

• Appeals Court Backs Obama Healthcare reform
  

A glimmer of hope appeared in President Barack Obama’s recent legislation struggle.

The Appeals Court for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld a lower court’s ruling that found the new healthcare law’s minimum coverage requirement constitutional on Tuesday.

The appeals court agreed with the lower court’s ruling saying it was constitutional to require Americans to buy healthcare insurance coverage by early 2014 or face a penalty. The court dismissed a lawsuit challenging it.

The Obama administration sought the new law to curb soaring health care costs and to increase coverage for the more than 35 million Americans without healthcare insurance.

Read more at the New York Times…

• 50 African Americans Featured in New Smithsonian Exhibit

The Smithsonian Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. is getting a burst of color.

The ‘Black List’, a collection of large-scale photographs from Timothy Greenfield-Sanders’ project, features 50 of the nation’s most prominent African Americans—think: Whoopi Goldberg, Diddy, Serena Williams and Hill Harper, to name just a few.

“We are apart of this country’s history. For us to occupy such a large space in The National Portrait Gallery is apropos,” said Harper, an award-winning actor and bestselling author.

See more about the exhibit at BET…

• New Census Data Shows 49 Million Americans Are Poor

New data released by the Census Bureau on Monday showed the number of American poor reached a record 49 million, or 16%, in 2010. The Census Bureau calculated the statistics under a new measure aimed at showing a fuller picture of poverty in the United States.

The biggest rise occurred among people ages 65 and older who are being driven into poverty by out-of-pocket medical expenses, including premiums and co-pays from the federal government’s Medicare program for the elderly. Almost 16% of the elderly are living in poverty. That’s roughly one in six senior citizens.

Read more at Reuters…

Artists Meek Mill and Rick Ross tout perks of being a boss with radio hit, "I'm a Boss." (Image: File)

I love me some Rick Ross … (Wait, before you close this window. It gets better. Trust me.)

Seriously. He’s one of my favorite hip-hop artists, with his cocky bravado, Santa Claus-like, tattooed belly, and larger-than-life persona.

Much of Rick Ross’ music centers around being a leader who makes his own lane, creates his own rules and practically answers to no one. There’s a level of confidence and power in his music that can’t be denied, one that often transfers to me when listen to it—questionable content aside. (Not to mention he’s a real-life boss as founder and CEO of Maybach Music Group.)

He, along with many popular music stars, have made what I call a “boss mentality” one coveted and adopted by young people all over the world. And as with any pop culture concept that takes on a life of its own, today’s “boss mentality,” especially among young people, has become the new overexposed green monster.

From 20-something divas boasting about cars, money and men, to young hustlers and businessmen trading stories of their latest conquests, the “boss mentality” has become one based on greed and pride, and built on unrealistic perceptions of what it takes to be a real boss. Even kids are buying into it, barely knowing their ABCs, but singing every word to Meek Mill’s latest hit (with Rick Ross), “I’m a Boss.”

GetaClue.org (as one of my favorite bossy divas, Tamar Braxton, would put it). A true boss practices due diligence to ensure their lives — in every aspect — will be as prosperous and purposeful as possible, all talk aside. They know that the material fruits of their labors are only a small part of the full picture.

Just look at the lives and works of today’s top, real-world bosses, from Tina Wells (Buzz Marketing Group) to Oprah to Magic Johnson to Dr. Farrah Gray (Gray Publishing) — all leaders who took the boss mentality and made their dreams reality with hard work and lucrative action. Even the bosses who aren’t so shy about their wealth — Sean “Diddy” Combs — have earned the bragging rights and can show and prove.

If you don’t have (or aren’t pursuing) the foundations for wealth building: estate plan, savings accounts, an investment portfolio, fair or good credit, and multiple streams of income, you’re not quite a boss.

If you have a closet full of luxury brands, but still cashing checks at the local check cashing spot because you don’t have a bank account, you’re not quite a boss.

Popping $300 bottles in clubs but haven’t paid Dr. Rent, Mr. Child Support or Ms. Student Loan …

Purchasing inexpensive things on credit that should be bought with cash …

Dodging bill collectors‘ calls or cleverly avoiding debts …

Living in the today without planning for a future that could sustain you and your family …

Lacking the means to invest tangible or intangible capital in your family or community …

NOT. A. BOSS.

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the fruits of one’s labor, but I’ve witnessed too many people claiming to be bosses who have not one qualification to show for it.

I’m not a full boss yet, but I’d like to think I’m in training. I aspire to one day become self-sufficient in all aspects of my life, and pave the way for others to capture their own “bosshood.” I like to take pages from the books of my favorite leaders and mentors, while using my own boss mentality, skills and intelligence to pursue success and fulfill my purpose.

I would challenge anyone else to do the same. Leave the false perception of easy, materialistic bosshood for entertainment and actively take steps to capture the reality of your own greatness.

SHARE YOUR STORY: Comment below about your latest boss move and how it’s getting you that much closer to ultimate success.

Groupon elected Ariel Investments President Mellody Hobson to its board of directors (Image: File)

• Groupon Brings Mellody Hobson Onboard

In wake of Groupon’s initial public offering, the online discount-offering company elected Ariel Investments President Mellody Hobson to its board of directors, announced the company yesterday.

“Mellody is an advocate for savvy consumer spending and educated business decisions,” said Andrew Mason, the chief-executive-officer of Groupon. “We expect her insights to be invaluable.”

Hobson will add her latest position onto an already full career plate, which includes financial contributor on Good Morning America, the consumer finance expert on the Tom Joyner‘s Money Mondays radio program, and Black Enterprise contributor, to name a few.

• NAACP Suit Is Latest Salvo in Fight Over Schools

As states grappled with ways to reinvigorate the public education system, charter schools were offered up as an attractive alternative: a way to break outside the mold and offer the kind of innovative learning environment and accountability for results that is more often associated with private schools.

Some critics fear that this alternative is now crowding out the public school system it was meant to supplement, creating a two-tiered system that leaves children in more traditional settings with fewer resources and options. That argument is the crux of a lawsuit filed by the NAACP and the United Federation of Teachers against the New York City Department of Education. They charge the city with favoritism toward 18 charter schools that share space in public schools.

The suit, filed last month in New York State Supreme Court, claims that charter schools are getting more than their fair share of space within public school buildings and have better access to playgrounds, gyms and cafeterias. It also disputes the rationale for closing 22 failing schools, including 15 that were part last year by the UFT and the NAACP.

Read more at The Root…

• Diddy Settles Civil Suits Related to Club New York Shootings

In 1999, when Diddy was still known as “Puff Daddy” and dated J.Lo, Sean Combs was involved in an infamous shooting.  At the now defunct Club New York, Diddy, J.Lo and a large entourage had intended to celebrate the signing of the then-aspiring rapper Jamal “Shyne” Barrow. The night transformed from party to nightmare as a fight between this crew and clubgoer Matthew Allen resulted in three people being shot. The civil cases brought by these victims against Combs, Barrow and the former Times Square hot spot have finally come to a close, culminating in large monetary settlements for each victim.

Read more at The Atlanta Post…

• Twitter Could Put Promoted Tweets In Users’ Timelines

Twitter is considering placing its Promoted Tweets in consumers’ timelines and introducing Groupon-style offers, according to a report.

The Financial Times, citing “people with direct knowledge” of Twitter’s plans, reports that company executives plan to migrate Promoted Tweets from searches to users’ timelines, a move that is likely to irritate some users.

Read more at Mashable…

Music producer Ryan Leslie is the industry's modern-day Renaissance man (Image: Press)

It’s hard not to come across a track that has not in someway been touched by music producer Ryan Leslie. R-Les, as the multi-talented industry staple is commonly referred to, has produced songs for Grammy Award winning artists such as Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige and Britney Spears to highly-popular artists including rapper John “Fabolous” Jackson, Chris Brown and Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura. In fact, it’s Leslie’s work with model-turned-singer Cassie that placed the now 32-year-old entertainer/entrepreneur on the music industry’s radar. One of many reasons BlackEnterprise.com chose to speak with the multi-talented producer for Black Music Month.

Penning and producing Cassie’s chart-topping hit “Me & U,” Leslie not only brought his NextSelection imprint recognition, but led his flagship artist to get signed to Bad Boy Records in 2006, the opportunity to work alongside Sean “Diddy” Combs as executive producer on her self-titled debut album and the ability to rake in nearly $2 million over the life of the record.

Last year was a good year, as well, with Leslie lending his talent to producing Ne-Yo’s record, “Crazy Love,” Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter and Kanye West’s upcoming album, Watch the Thrown and Fabolous’ “You Be Killen Em,”a top 10 rap record. “We easily did over a million dollars in production revenue last year,” confirms Leslie.

What stands out about the Harvard grad—outside of graduating from the Ivy League college at 19 or his distinct production style—is his ingenious branding and social media strategy, which has proven to be greatly successful with his musical muse (having used MySpace as an integral role in viral promotion of Cassie’s hit single), as well as his own solo projects—Ryan Leslie, Transition, and his soon to be released Les is More, due out in early fall of this year.

“You have the control of your brand messaging through the various social media platforms—Twitter and Facebook being two of the most prominent—and you have the ability through the control of your brand messaging to attract the collaborations that will be lucrative for you as you pursue music production as a career,” says Leslie, less than a week after his YouTube channel, RyanLeslieTV, reached 39 million total views. His acknowledgment of the “exponential quantity of media” drove the brand guru to start NextSelection Lifestyle Group, a media-marketing company that’s worked on campaigns with mega-brands such as Lexus and Adidas, as well as Nicole Trunfio Jewelry.

“With NextSelection, what we are interested in doing is partnering with brands—whether they be personal brands, such as artists or corporate brands—and identifying those brands that understand the future of social media, the future of owned audiences as a way to directly market their products, and looking for the synergies between those brands to create a greater exposure for the value they provide to consumers,” says the chief-executive-officer.

With the shift in industry marketing from word-of-mouth to email and, most recently, social media, branding is an integral component in any artist or producer’s package. Leslie advises aspiring producers to focus on identifying their brand and accurately transmitting that to their audience of consumers. He suggests they focus on creating strong, distinct music; establishing strong collaboration with a manager, publishing company or another artist, and creating a strong presence, which would serve as a “calling card” he or she presents to the music industry.

It’s a concept the producer has nearly mastered, but still works to strengthen. When it comes to his upcoming album, he plans on creating something the industry has never seen before.“From a social media standpoint, there’s going to be an amazing campaign, which I believe will hopefully serve as a very creative blueprint for the way that an album is marketed in 2011 and beyond.”

• For related content, read:
• Black Music Month Power Player: Chris Chambers, The Publicist
• Black Music Power Player: Steve Stoute, The Brand Extender
• Black Music Month Power Player: Chris Lighty, The Executive

You don’t have to be a hip-hop aficionado to appreciate Cortez Bryant’s Midas touch. As the Chief Visionary Officer of Young Money Entertainment (lyrical maestro Lil Wayne’s label imprint) and CEO of Bryant Management (platinum-selling rapper Drake is also under Bryant’s wing), the Miami-based manager has made an indelible mark upon the music industry with his hands-on management style. For the last seven years, the Jackson University grad has ushered his roster of artists to chart-topping musical phenomenons. Lil Wayne, for instance, completed 78 headlining shows in nine months in 2009 that grossed well over $40 million, making him one of the most profitable touring artists. Similarly, Drake has secured endorsement/sponsorship deals with brands ranging from Sprite and Kodak to AT&T.

As part of our continuing look at the Business of Music, BlackEnterprise.com caught up with Bryant in the midst of Lil Wayne’s tsunami of a national “I Am Still Music” tour to talk strategy, the meteoric rise of his artists and joining forces with another powerhouse manager.

You’ve been in the music business seven years strong. How has the role of the manager changed over the years?

It has changed. In the beginning, I got in this industry because Lil Wayne was already a rapper and a good friend who approached me after I graduated college and asked me to manage him. I had no knowledge about managing so I did everything, including assisting as a DJ, where I had to help break equipment down. All those things I did taught me a lot, including micro managing because I had done every job imaginable. When we started to hire other people I was able to tell them how to do things properly or at least advise on how to execute more efficiently.

Since then, have you learned to delegate?

[Laughs] I’m so hands on that I’ve been forced to delegate. The reality is I can’t be on the road day-to-day and manage artists’ careers and also handle everything in the office. I’m still pretty involved but I had to learn to let certain things go and trust people once I trained them. I travel three to four times a week because with my roster of artists, my presence is important to them.

So is this what successful managers are made of?

As far as the best skills to have as a manager, I think patience is a big thing. There are so many different situations that can occur like, you could be in the middle of a hurricane and you need to be calm and get things done without overreacting. Also, you need to be a great listener. Honestly, I’m still learning everyday. I can pick up ideas from anyone. For example, my 15-year-old artist Lil Twist taught me a lot about the power of social networking because that’s how teens communicate today and it was through that [medium] that he helped build his name and popularity. And, of course, having a great work ethic is a must. At the end of the day, I go hard for my artists because I believe in them.

How do you detect an artist’s potential star quality?

Each artist is different. Again, Wayne was already established as a rapper when I began working with him. Drake was unique in that he could sing really well and had a sound that not everyone else had at the time. And Nicki Minaj was not only unique but there had not been a [new mainstream] female rapper in over a decade. So I look for uniqueness.

What’s the biggest misconception most artists have about the music business?

How the music business works. I don’t think they know when they get these big contracts all that money has to be paid back to the label, from video to CD packaging it, all must be recouped.

Speaking of labels cashing in, have any of your artists been affected by 360 deals, where record labels take a cut of their artists’ profits for ventures outside of music as well?

No, none of my artists are because we are a 360 management company. We have so many great relationships and successful artists that we can book tours and negotiate deals for them. I don’t think it’s right for labels to take from artists if they aren’t active in getting them deals and opportunities. However, it could benefit the artist if [their label] is active.

Young Money Entertainment artist Nicki Minaj recently parted with Sean “Diddy” Combs as her manager and singed with Hip Hop Since 1978, which also manages Kanye West. Any truth to rumors that that Bryant Management is joining forces with them and she’ll be one of the premier artists under this new business alliance?

Yes. Well, Gee [Joshua Roberson—one half of Hip Hop Since 1978] is still my partner. He taught me a lot and I’m still here because of him. You have a lot of executives that won’t open those doors to help the next upcoming manager or executive, but ever since we met in 2006 we just clicked. I’d been managing Wayne for two years and he was managing Kanye.

When will you make the merger official?

Honestly, I don’t see it as a big transition because we have always helped each other out if he has a Kanye issue or I have a Wayne issue and we call on each other to help it’s just what we do. So it’s a matter of a transition of [making it official] on paper. We realize that while there are benefits to having our own boutique management firms that allows each of us to be hands on with our artists, [merging] will allow us to be more powerful and efficient in growing our business model.

Success breeds the good and bad. As Lil Wayne’s manager, how do you combat the negative press he often receives?

He’s my best friend so when someone is painting him in a negative light it’s my inclination to dive in and handle it. We understand that when you’re successful you’re going to get the good and the bad. You’re going to have critics but as long as you keep your fans happy then that’s all that matters. Our attitude is to monitor what is being said and then if we feel it’s a huge misunderstanding or it’s getting out of hand we’ll [consult] with a publicist to handle—whether that’s making a statement or doing something else. Often the things people read about Lil Wayne simply aren’t true.

How involved are you if at all with Lil Wayne’s 1 Family Foundation?

Well, it’s Wayne’s biggest way of giving back to New Orleans and that’s not stopping. He’s a giving person. If he deems someone needs help he’s quick to help out not just in New Orleans but anywhere. Every concert proceeds from ticket sales go to his foundation. He also got a letter while he was in prison from someone saying that their mother was not able to move because she needed a wheelchair and Wayne bought a state of the art wheelchair [for her] or when something like the recent disaster in Japan happens he’ll just pick up the phone and tell me, send 25K to help. That’s who he is and those are the things you’ll never hear about because he doesn’t talk about all his charitable [deeds].

When all is said and done, what do you hope your legacy will be?

I don’t know. I don’t really think about leaving a legacy. I just hope people will say that I was always the same person who remained humble and true to himself.

It’s no secret that the music industry is hemorrhaging money, and has been for some time.

An antiquated system struggling to stave off rampant file-sharing and compete with Internet-driven single-versus-album sales, record labels are scrambling to keep up.

But Violator Management and Brand Assets Group CEO Chris Lighty has a found a million ways to stop the bleeding.

The highly sought-after music manager–who has long guided the careers of megastars like 50 Cent, Mariah Carey, Busta Rhymes and Diddy–says the secret to survival is diversification.

“From my point of view you have to be a mult-tasker and know every aspect of the entertainment business,” says Lighty, whose marketing firm has inked deals with Adidas, Coca Cola, Sprite, Reebok and Motions Hair products and others. “Back in the day you could get away with focusing on one thing, like A&R. Now whether its digital, marketing, A & R, radio, whatever–you have to know how to get your artist from A to Z, even if you need help pulling it all off.”

A high school graduate who went on to help his client, 50, secure a 10% stake in water company Glacéau and net a reported $100 million when the company sold for $4.1 billion to Coca Cola, Lighty has long demonstrated he’s capable of doing just that. An industry hustler who began his career carrying crates of vinyl for legendary Kool DJ Red Alert, Lighty–also responsible for helping 50 get his G-Unit clothing line in major department stores like Macy’s–says holding executive positions under fellow entrepreneur Russell Simmons at Def Jam and Rush Management helped show him what was possible.

“I learned that you are only as strong as the people around you,” he says. “You’ve got to build a good team–from your accountant to your right-hand man to employees–the whole nine yards,” he says. “I also learned you can have a plan [for what you want your business to look like], but you need to know when to deviate from it. You have to be able to bend and sway with the moment,” he advises.

Lighty’s latest venture, launched in May, is an effort to help wannabe rap stars, singers, producers and songwriters keep pace with the changing times. It’s a web site called Please Listen to My Demo–inspired by a phrase borrowed from his once-aspiring artist 50 (and from old-school rap group EPMD, for those who remember)–that allows new artists to submit their music for $10 in exchange for A&R advice and other feedback from-top tier music industry executives. The idea, Lighty says, is to discover new talent and help position them to get signed.

“We decided to change our approach,” says the Bronx native, who came up with the idea three years ago when he noticed wannabe stars were flocking to American Idol and YouTube to be discovered. “The record companies of today are behind the eight ball because they refuse to change… They don’t like to accept unsolicited demos and A&Rs are still going to the club to find artists even though [the artists] are all online. So we thought we’d create this new opportunity for them.”

So far business at Violator’s new pay-per-listen program has been brisk, Lighty reports. Although he won’t reveal in detail how much money its brought in, he will say he and his staffers have identified several aspiring stars they’re potentially interested in grooming for the big leagues.

“We’ve already found seven people that have at least one good song,” he says. “If we can help build them up we can find the next Justin Bieber or 50 Cent.”

And to the wannabes he’s hoping to sign, Lighty has this advice: “Persistence overcomes resistance,” he says. “I can think of 100 artists that would have fallen off the map if they didn’t have that drive. If 50 wasn’t persistent he wouldn’t be who he is today, and neither would [my other clients] Foxy Brown and LL Cool J,” he says. “Use every means of marketing that’s out there, especially the Internet. Google is your friend. If you don’t know the answer to the question look it up. And surround yourself with people who are likeminded but not cheerleaders. Those things will get you far.”

Combs discusses branding before being honored by SESAC

Last week the entire music industry converged on Los Angeles for the 2011 Grammy Awards and BlackEnterprise.com was on hand all week, hitting the red carpets at the posh venues and rubbing shoulders with a who’s who of musical talent. It wasn’t all champagne wishes and caviar dreams in the City of Angels, though, as we used the opportunity as a chance to talk about the importance of branding and marketing with Sean “Diddy” Combs and a few of his musical peers.