The Daily Swarm

UPDATE: Hits Daily Double:

TVT founder Steve Gottlieb confirmed that his label will be filing for Chapter 11, but rumors of their demise are “exaggerated.” “We will continue to promote Pitbull f/Lil Jon’s ‘The Anthem,’ which goes Top 10 at Rhythm this week. Ying Yang Twin’s ‘Drop’ is #32 hip-hop track on iTunes despite it only being at mix show.” Gottlieb also explains the publishing company is “unaffected” by the filing. He adds that, in his suit against UMG, the label group avoided “all but one million of the damages found against them.” “We have been an agent of change, most notably fighting for respect for independents when most major media and trade outlets minimized their role, and fighting for industry change in the digital arena whether in our breaking ranks and settling with Napster in 2001, or in numerous other initiatives. I am optimistic that the company’s independent spirit, history of innovation and willingness to pioneer new music and new business models are more valuable in this marketplace than ever before and that we will emerge from this reorganization a stronger more vibrant entity.”

Trent Reznor: Not ALL news about the music industry is bad these days.

All Hip Hop:

New York based independent record label TVT Records terminated the majority of their employees today, sources revealed to AllHipHop.com today (February 18).

TVT, which is home to major recording stars like Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz, Pitbull, Ying Yang Twins, The Polyphonic Spree and others, is expected to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this week.

Hits Daily Double:

New York-based independent label TVT Records is expected to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this week after terminating the majority of its employees this afternoon, it was being reported by allhiphop.com. The label, which is home to Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz, Pitbull, Ying Yang Twins and The Polyphonic Spree, among others, was founded by Steve Gottlieb, who launched the label out of his New York City apartment in 1985. The label also released music by Nine Inch Nails. The label’s release schedule includes Lil Jon’s new album Crunk Rock. The company won a celebrated lawsuit against then-IDJ boss Lyor Cohen over a Ja Rule compilation album he prevented them from releasing in 2003. While an initial ruling awarded TVT Records $132 million in damages, the figure was soon voided to zero on appeal.

Billboard:

Founded in New York in 1985 by Steve Gottlieb, TVT rose to notoriety after releasing music by Nine Inch Nails and KMDFM. In recent years, the label has focused on hip-hop, scoring a series of hits with the aforementioned artists.

But TVT has also been embroiled in legal battles, including a suit against Island Def Jam over a Ja Rule compilation that IDJ prevented TVT from releasing in 2003. The initial ruling awarded TVT $132 million in damages, but the figure was reduced to zero on appeal.

TVT also battled Miami label Slip-n-Slide over rights to an early Pitbull album, eventually losing and being ordered to pay compensatory damages of almost $2.3 million and punitive damages of over $6.8 million.

Just a few weeks ago, Pitbull lashed out at TVT in an interview with Los Angeles radio station KPWR, claiming it didn’t properly promote his new album, “The Boatlift.” “I’m out here working like a slave, doing things that other artists don’t even know how to do. A label’s there to further and promote your career, but it feels like they just keep holding me back,” said Pitbull, who asked his fans not to buy the album.

There is no word on a possible release date for Lil Jon’s new album, “Crunk Rock,” which has been delayed numerous times, or forthcoming releases from any of the label’s acts

From the inside:

No severance, most of the staff is gone. Approx. 20 people left.

GONE:

* Lance Sanchez (three kids and a mortgage, everyone look out for him please)
* Ben Wheelock
* Erika Tooker
* Joe Wiggins
* Mic Fox
* Shawn (just moved into New Media recently)
* Andy Kman (production)
* Bob Byrne but he was leaving anyway in a week or two
* Heather (sales asst.) leaving in a week or two
* Clutch and Robert (warehouse)
* Barbara W (a&r admin)
* Gurj Bassi
* Kevin Coyne
* Lisa Upson
* Michelle Oakes
* Joey Ingogia (supposedly in a day or two)

STAYING:

* Steve
* Vera
* Paul Burgess
* Mike Nolan (Controller)
* Steven (Asst. Controller)
* Jackie Sussman
* Paul Raimer (Production Vp)
* Christina Zafiris (new Media Vp)
* Rell La Fargue(I think, didn’t get to speak to him, Vp Royalties)
* Stephanie (or so I’m told, publishing)
* Delmar (Steve’s asst.)
* Janet Treadway
* Mikey
* Ben Liemer
* Kevin Hopper
* Bob Ardrey

NOT SURE:

* Dorina Favela
* Frosti (Chris Lauterbach)
* John Rhodes (accounting)
* Matt Mann
* Never got it straight who in a&r was canned, who wasn’t.

Think Patricia Joseph is gone

* Radio regionals
* In-house radio staff including Joe
* Jillian Chin (accounting)