Daddy Yankee, Universal Music Group Partner for Music and Screen Projects

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorLast week, Universal Music Group and its Task Force for Meaningful Change (in partnership with UMG’s °1824 and Diversity & Inclusion teams, Def Jam Forward, Interscope/Geffen/A&M and Republic Record’s Action Committee), launched a series of special programs and discussions in celebration of this year’s Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference.The events are free and open to the public.

Geoff Mayfield Loud Records, the hip-hop label that launched Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep and Big Pun, is about to make noise again, as founder Steve Rifkind revives the brand to launch a nimble indie. The new venture kicks off today — Monday, Sept.

New York Times investigation.The Times reported that the most successful year for Miss Universe — both for Trump and its broadcaster, NBC — was in 2013, when the global pageant was held in Moscow. That pageant has become a key event for those investigating Trump’s ties to Russia as Trump received help from Aras Agalarov — a billionaire who claims to have connections to Vladimir Putin — and his son, Emin.

Billboard Latin Music Awards is bringing together quite the line-up of performers. Stars including Daddy Yankee, Paulina Rubio and Anuel AA will hit the stage at the awards ceremony, Telemundo announced on Monday. Joining the the group are Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga, Carlos Vives, Luis Fonsi, Pablo Alboran, Pitbull, Reik and Yandel, along with talented young artists like Chesca, Manuel Turizo, Raymix, Kendo Kaponi, Jessie Reyez and Rauw Alejandro.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentUniversal Studio Group is set to shoot three high-end TV series, “Young Rock,” “Joe Exotic” and “Irreverent,” in Australia over the next 18 months.“Young Rock” from Universal Television, “Joe Exotic” from UCP and “Irreverent” from NBCUniversal International Studios’s Matchbox Pictures will shoot at Screen Queensland Studios in Brisbane, as well as surrounding locations in South East Queensland and Far North Queensland.The plan leverages resources under

Rebecca Davis editorUniversal Music Group’s Vietnam division on Thursday launched Def Jam Vietnam, a new local label focused on Vietnamese hip-hop and rap to ride the genre’s growing footprint in the region. It is the sixth local Def Jam label set up under the umbrella of Def Jam Southeast Asia, itself established last September, following prior launches in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia.

Mike Fleming Jr Co-Editor-in-Chief, FilmThe never-ending search for original intellectual properties that can make the next franchises for film and television has led Chernin Entertainment chairman Peter Chernin and president Jenno Topping to make a deal with Spotify’s chief content exec Dawn Ostroff.

Anthony D'Alessandro Editorial Director/Box Office EditorEXCLUSIVE: We hear that The Wrestler Oscar nominee Mickey Rourke has boarded the independent feature The Commando which will shoot in New Mexico next month.The pic, directed by Asif Akbar, follows a DEA agent with PTSD who returns home after a botched mission and must now protect his family from a newly released prison criminal, played by Rourke, and his henchmen who’ve come after a stash of millions inside the agent’s house.Subscribe to

three months after a gunman blasted Cheriff Tall, 21, and Abayomi Ajose, 36, in the head at the rowdy party in a car park off Caythorpe Street.It is believed Mr Ajose, a support worker known as Junior or Aby, and father of three, stepped in to help Mr Tall, who had ambitions to become a pilot or join the army, when the latter became involved in an argument with the gunman.Both victims were shot at close range in the head just before 1am on June 21.The gunman fled a chaotic scene.Following this

Peter White Television EditorThe leadership team for Universal Studio Group, which now comprises Universal Television, UCP and NBCUniversal International Studios, has been set.Pearlena Igbokwe, who was promoted from Universal TV President to Chairman of Universal Studio Group earlier this month, revealed the execs who will oversee the divison’s business affairs, finance, communications, research, HR and legal teams.The execs below will report to Igbokwe, who sent out a note to internal staff

Elaine Low Senior TV WriterNewly appointed Universal Studio Group head Pearlena Igbokwe outlined, in a Thursday memo to staff, her new leadership team amid NBCUniversal’s greater corporate restructure.That includes Masami Yamamoto as president of business affairs and operations, Brad Melnick as CFO, Tracy St.

Mike Fleming Jr Co-Editor-in-Chief, FilmUniversal Pictures has signed on to be the home for a biopic of iconic singer Madonna, who will direct her own story from a script she is writing with Oscar-winning Juno scribe Diablo Cody. Madonna will produce the film with Pascal Pictures’ Amy Pascal.

 Daddy Yankee  is one of the most recognized and influential names in urban and Latinx music; his career transcends language and any geography publication.

EST1897 ranks the stars on their Instagram follower count and potential earnings per post to reveal who makes the most money.Gogglebox stars have shot to fame since the award-winning show started in 2013.

Universal Music has signed Daddy Yankee up to a new deal that will see him release a new album with the company’s Ingrooves label services business, and develop film and TV projects with the major’s film and TV division Polygram.Universal boss Lucian Grainge says: “Daddy Yankee is both an iconic artist and entrepreneur whose extraordinary creativity influences culture on a global scale.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorHipgnosis Songs has acquired Big Deal Music Group and brought board its senior staff, with Kenny MacPherson becoming CEO of Hipgnosis Songs Group and reporting directly to founder and CEO Merck Mercuriadis. He is joined by Co-Presidents Casey Robison and Jamie Cerreta and Executive Vice President Dave Ayers (New York) as well as Senior Vice President Pete Robinson (Nashville) all of whom have signed new five-year contracts, according to the announcement.

Chris Willman Music WriterSpirit Music Group has picked up the master recordings of three Tim McGraw albums, the publishing company announced Wednesday. The albums being acquired all date back to McGraw’s first stint on the Big Machine label in the mid-2010s, and include the No.

Variety Staff Follow Us on TwitterWarner Music Group announced that Kareem Chin has joined the company as Senior Vice President, Head of Investor Relations, effective immediately. Chin comes to WMG from iHeartMedia, Inc., where he held the same title.