American Idol winner Ruben Studdard has reportedly been dropped from J. Records after disappointing record sales of his most current release, 2006′s The Return.
Studdard’s first J. Record release, Soulful, released in 2003, is RIAA certified platinum. His 2004 gospel follow up, I Need An Angel also fared well – reaching gold status. However, sales from The Return have been unable to match his previous success, moving barely 235,000 copies.
Here is an email that was sent to us earlier this week:
“My brother tours as a background singer for Ruben Studdard and he was just informed today that Ruben was dropped by J Records. The sales were just too bad from his last album. He has only sold 234,000 copies.”
Most recently, in November, he spent time touring alongside Robin Givens in a play called “Heaven I Need a Hug” and according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he is currently preparing to play jazz great Fats Waller in a national theatre tour of “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” Studdard is also scheduled to make a holiday appearance in his hometown Birmingham, Alabama this weekend, performing with his old band Just a Few Cats at the WorkPlay soundstage.
Wow, tough break. I wonder if Ruben will shop himself around for another deal and put out another album? That’s a shame. He was America’s Teddy Bear!
KANYE, LUPE & PHARRELL?
Remember the song “Us Placers,” that we posted a while ago from Kanye West’s Can’t Tell Me Nothin’ mixtape? It was a track that featured Kanye himself, Pharrell Williams and Lupe Fiasco. Well, the three have formed a group called CRS (Child Rebel Soldier). Apparently, the trio is working on an album together – which should be interesting, since Lupe Fiasco is in the stages of promoting his album, The Cool, which was released this past Tuesday, Kanye is in the middle of a tragedy, and Pharrell should be working furiously on the new N.E.R.D. album.
To your left, you will see the unofficial video for their track “Us Placers.” It was directed by Va$htie, who has been romantically linked to Pharrell for a while now, but no one is sure of their current status. It doesn’t surprise me though, considering that Va$htie is a member of the collective Box Fresh Pictures. She’s directed a few projects which are listed there.
The video is pretty interesting, considering that child actors were used to replace Kanye West, Pharrell Williams and Lupe Fiasco. Apparently, the video was shot with a zero budget, meaning they had no money behind the project. Check it out. It’d be interesting to hear an album from the three of them.
RICK ROSS SPEAKS ON RELEASE DELAY
Rick Ross fans were disappointed when they found out that Rick’s sophomore set, Trilla was pushed back from December 18th to February 19th via Slip-N-Slide/Def Jam. He sat down exclusively with Billboard.com to speak on the dilemma.
“We had a few clearance issues, including one song produced by DJ Toomp,” says Ross. “It’s called ‘This Me’ and it’s a real personal record for me, so I wanted to make sure it got on the album. Toomp produced ‘White House’ on my first record and we made magic.”
Current single “Speedin’” featuring R. Kelly, DJ Khaled and Diddy, which we posted in a rap review, is on the move on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, where it jumps 74-60 this week. A video for the song recently premiered on BET’s 106 & Park.
DMX INKS NEW DEAL
After being released from his Sony Music deal earlier this year, rapper DMX has signed a deal with the music division of Canadian online gaming company Bodog Entertainment. The rapper plans to release his next two albums, Walk With Me Now and You’ll Fly With Me Later in 2008 via Bodog.
“I’m thankful for the fact that Bodog believes in me,” says DMX. “We share the same vision and the fact that they see in me the same thing I see. I’ll show Bodog Music how it’s supposed to be done, and we’ll get to where we’re supposed to be. You got a dog for life.”
Bodog Music is a part of the digital entertainment company, Bodog Entertainment International Group. The company has several U.S. locations but is based in Vancouver. It recently snagged international distribution rights for the Wu-Tang Clan’s comeback album, 8 Diagrams.
How ironic… DMX thinks he is a dog and he signed with a label with the word “dog” in it. Sorry, I had to laugh.
poor ruben..
um, i’ll have to wait and see on that collab w/ kanye and nem.
dmx….. um, no comment.
Tough break for Ruben, but I think he will bounce back just fine. Stay up Ruuuubeeeeen! We still love you!
…mhmhm
That is so terrible about Ruben, I really liked his music. CRS should be great, that is a lot of excellent lyricists in one group!
If ya’ll luv him buy the damn album.
I love you Ruben!!!!
Man I am digging the song and the video with KANYE, LUPE & PHARRELL. I believe the CD will be great!
Three talented people in one group. They can’t go wrong.
Rubben has the talent, but the writing and producing on his albums have not been that great. Something better will happen for him.
when the checks stop coming….
Teddy Bear just find another label and review possible collaborations. We will support you.
Imagine if all the ppl who voted on American Idol actually bought the cd they would sell millions poor Ruben.
CRS I’ll buy it.
snooze to the rest.
I hope he can comeback. You know Clay Aiken has been praying for his demise since day one.
Dame – whatsup?
Reuben is soo cute! I have faith in him. With the right producer he’ll make it.
I’ll be waiting on a CD from Rick and DMX…
How much promotion did they put into Reuben’s album? I honestly don’t remember hearing anything about it. Maybe that’s why?????
Love the video! Those kids are too cute!!
I am so disappointed to hear J Records dropped Ruben, he is truly talented and I don’t remember anything he has released since that song “Sorry 2004″! So that right there says alot…maybe its for the best!
I love Kanye, Lupe and Pharrell…I can’t wait to see what they are gonna do!!! I’m excited just thinking about the possibilities!!!
Rick Ross’s last album was real hot…just as long as it doesn’t get pushed back again then its all good.
‘Eh @ DMX…I mean how many chances does he think he should get? DMX done had soooooooo many opportunities to turn his career around and he has pretty much thrown away every last one of them. Its a damn shame b.cuz X is like 40 so if he hasn’t gotten it together yet then I don’t know what to tell him…as many albums as X has sold he should be chillin like Jigga right now, not hustling to prove himself to another record label.
Damn Ruben that sucks sweetie but God will open another door for you I mean everybody doesnt always go gold or platitum so learn from it and go and make some more of that music that America still loves from you
i’ve supported all of teddy bear’s efforts, and i must say that i wasn’t really impressed with anything he put out. but still, he didn’t get good promotion, and regardless if your music is good or whack, promo is what gets your music sold…
i’m not a rick ross fan, so no words…
crs is hot! can’t wait for the cd to drop!
i wish the best for dmx…
Why the black people that won American Idol gets no record sales but the white like kelly clarkson do?
Ruben is still the man tho, he’ll bounce back… some way, some how
CRS??? I think that collabo might do wonders in the hip hop industry
IF ONLY THEY HAD PROMOTED THE ALBUM MAYBE IT WOULD HAVE SOLD MORE. I’M A FAN SO HOPEFULY HE SIGNS WITH A LABEL THATS WILLING TO PROMOTE HIM AND SALE SOME ALBUMS. GO BIG RU!!!!!!!!!!!
I’M A FAN DMX SO BRING THE FIYAH DOGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Like the Ye, Lupe and Pharall song. Lately I have been crossing over to the other side of music. Where the lyrics have meaning and not about the latest dance move. I have picked Cold Play, John Mayer, and Nelly Futartado as something to gain insight and pleasure. All of this new stuff is draining the intellect right out of me. It takes no mindset to digest this “Casio beat, dance hip hop”.
Maybe I am getting older and wiser — or as my nephews think “boring”. Whatever.
I’m not really feeling this song by CRS but Kanye and Lupe is one group?? Can’t get no better than that! Plus Pharrell and Kanye taking turns to make beats? This group is gonna be crazy!
Poor Ruben. Record lables make me laugh. So quick to drop an artist but aint so quick to pony up the money it takes to promote and develope the artist so they’ll be successful. SMDH!
I was just telling someone last night how much Ruben sophomore album is sooooo much better than his first one. I truly blame the marketing team alot people didn’t know it even exist. Ruben will be alright, but yall take time to listen to it’s hot. My favorite cuts are “Beautiful”, “Change Me” and he also did his own version of another Luther Vandross song and killed it!!!!!!!!!
Hey Beauty Q.T. how are you? TGIF
Poor Reuben. At least he isn’t completely out of work. He should be ok for now.
I’m loving the CRS trio, I hope they drop a cd I know it will be nice.
Whatever to the rest.
I guess the music business does not want to hear real r&b artist like Ruben, Jill Scott, and so on. To me that is just sad but he will be alright.
Kanye, Lupe and Pharrell doing a album together should be great.
DMX’s career is ooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrr.
Tough break for Ruben! Where did his fan base go? I agree there was little promotion for his last project tho. Is there any official statement for J Records?
That CRS thing is ok. I can see the reluctance to put money behind it tho.
Too bad to see Rick Ross pushed back, I usually rock to R&B but Ricky Ross comin back hard on this one!
DMX…I peeped that cracked out video of you ‘recording’ a ‘song’….N to the O! Also, BoDog Records is actually run by this Canadian fugitive who has made millions on the internet gambling websites then moved to the Caribbean to escape prosecution. Not a good look!
DAME,
I’m good! IMPATIENTLY awaiting the weekend!
poor ruben..if only he had better marketing
a crs cd would be great! love all 3 of em. and they dont need backing, they got the money
hopefully dmx will have better writing… and production this time
Thats horrible that they dropped Ruben…I didn’t even know he had an album this year? BTW, I am really feeling the Lupe, Pharrell, and Kanye group!!!! Aaaw, Imagine them touring?!?! Thats is GOOD luck…but I wonder if Kanye is team player like that?!?!
I ain’t surprised.Ruben got played out real quick. People only rooted for him cuz he was the typical ‘ American Idol”. We all rallyed behind Ruben…even went out and bought his first CD and then was like “fukk em”. Honestly though, he’s a boring performer…yeah he can sang but he boring as hell.
The callabo thing with Kayne, Lupe and Pharell may work. They’re all very interesting artists.
@#26…TOTALLY agree with you about DMX…!
I ain’t surprised.Ruben got played out real quick. People only rooted for him cuz he wasn’t the typical ‘ American Idol”. We all rallyed behind Ruben…even went out and bought his first CD and then was like “fukk em”. Honestly though, he’s a boring performer…yeah he can sang but he boring as hell.
The callabo thing with Kayne, Lupe and Pharell may work. They’re all very interesting artists.
@#26…TOTALLY agree with you about DMX…!
True talent and real sangers are not appreciated anymore. Tamia, Toni, and kelly price are victims of this as well. This industry is full of mess.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GVTGNcGNeY
That is too bad for Rueben. I wish him the best of luck. I can’t wait for the CRS group. I just wish they would have added Common or something and had Pharrell just make the beats. Once they get it done tho, the album should be interesting. I never really cared for Rick Ross so… and no comment on DMX.
I agree with # 32, people are not really interested in Ruben and his music. I personally think he’s a good singer but he needs to rewrite some of his songs and make it betta because honestly it’s not hot at all!!
It sucks that Ruben’s last record sold so little.. personally, I liked it. I’m sure he’ll be cool tho.
Love the US Placers video.
I’M SO EXCITED
ABOUT KANYE, PHARRELL, AND LUPE UPCOMING PLANS TO RELEASE A CD TOGETHER….I HAVE BEEN WAITING ON THIS A LONGTIME. I {HEART} LUPE!!!!!!
DMX is one of the greats, he’s right at the top; but he needs to leave that crack or whatever he’s smoking along…i hate when talent is wasted. In my opinion, he can smoke any of these dudes out now, including so called “best rapper alive” lol (jayz) in a freestyle.
Poor Ruben, i dont know why this happened; he started off so strong..sometimes these record labels are cheap and dont want to put any money into marketing you, and yet, still expect top sales…gtfoh!!!! He had a cd out last year, but it wasn’t promoted…just proves my point that the negros on the top are there because of marketing, pr, and other shit; todays music aint got shit to do with talent.
Next to Rick Ross!!!!!! Gawdy negro.
The Fats Waller gig sounds like a good look for Ruben-anything would be better than his Jaheim-esque ghetto love hook–I thought he would have faired much better appealing to the Luther, adult contemporary, Michael Baisden crowd-esp. since they buy more and illegally down load less. I roll my eyes at the Kanya/Lupe/Pharell collabo (LSG’s the only one I’m down with, lol) but honestly it makes perfect sense and will probrably be one stop shopping for their fans.
I am sick that Ruben was dropped. Black people complain about good music, without degrating lyrics. But at the same time when good music is pushed in your face, you won’t buy it. What happens next is that the positive image has been dropped, but the controversial image gets more airplay / record sales.
IT’S SICKENING…
No wonder! I went to Best Buy looking for that Ross cd and it wasn’t there
RUBEN NEED HIS ASS WHIPPED, PERSONALLY I THINK HE’S LAZY
I love that song by P,L, & K…I never knew they did a vid tho…lookin forward to an album….”The Cool” is hawt.
Why do those kids look just like them???? haha..
yeah a Iheard about CRS on http://www.freshopoly.com
video is dope!!
DMX chest hairs looks like a 100 black men with there fist bald up
I don’t get why they drop artists who still sell 200,000 albums. It’s pretty good come on. Besides they did no promotion for this album, seriously I didn’t even know Rubben released 3 albums. This is sad, especially that he won American Idol…
Speaking of Kanye, have yall heard the Billie Jean Remix by Michael Jackson ft. Kanye!?!?!?!
Its on http://www.freshopoly.com !!!!!!!
i agree with #20…it wasnt him really because that song “change me” was a really nice song but noone supported it enough and noone promoted his album so he lost out…..not only that but if he sold well on 2 of 3 of his albums how would that be means to drop him,some people have had 2 failed cds in a row and have never been dropped so wth????i love big ru but he needs some bigger and better people behind him
man that collabo wit ye,pharrell and lupe will be FIRE!!!!
I was watchin 106 and mary said if she could do a best of both worlds album it would be with jay-z and kanye would produce the whole album i’m like damn that would be HOTT!!! imma pray for that one right there
dmx is my guy but he is struggeling with himself right now….as old as he is i dont think he has found himself….i wish him the best though…i love his voice.
I’m not surprised about Ruben being dropped. lackluster
Hmmm, CRS? I’d like to see what they have to offer altogether.
I luv Ruben and I have both of his albums. He’ll bounce back and keep grinding I know
POOR RUBEN I HOPE HE FOUNDS ANOTHER RECORD DEAL.
Well I think if Rueben gets some better songwriters and producers he can make a good comeback. I bought his first cd and thought it was ok, but I listened to one of his more recent songs on the radio..the Change Me song, while it has a good premise, the song lyrics were just corny. Good luck to him though, I’ll support him if he comes out with something better.
Kanye and all them…too much ego, too much of a good thing…like a sickeningly sweet dessert or something. It will never work.
I feel for Ruben. The man is so talented. I hate how all these soul singers get droppeed just because people in general don’t feel on soul music and thinks it’s not commercially appealing.
See thats the problem with American Idol winners. Obsessed freaks vote millions of times, and when that artist drops…no one actually supports them. 30 million people vote in the finale (or more) so that should mean at least 5 million albums sold. SMH Poor Ruben.
DMX’s crazy ass ain’t gonna act right new deal or not.
What American Idol does supper good anyway?? They all fall shortly. way do people even still tryout for that show?
DMX IS THE MAN
CANT WAIT FOR THE NEW ALBUM
That’s sad to hear about Ruben. But he will be okay.