3 Kings

by Zack O'Malley Greenburg

  26. Kevin Liles, interview by author, New York, New York, October 2015.

  27. Jian Deleon, “Wu-Tang Forever: The History of Wu Wear,” Complex, October 12, 2011, http://www.complex.com/style/2011/10/wu-tang-forever-the-history-of-wu-wear/.

  28. Russell Simmons, interview by author, New York, New York, April 2016.

  29. Tracie Rozhon, “Phat Fashions Is Being Sold to Kellwood for $140 Million,” New York Times, January 9, 2004, http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/09/business/phat-fashions-is-being-sold-to-kellwood-for-140-million.html.

  30. Dealbook staff, “Jay-Z Cashes In with Rocawear Deal,” New York Times, March 6, 2007, http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2007/03/06/jay-z-cashes-in-with-200-million-rocawear-deal/.

  31. Dan Charnas, “How 50 Cent Scored a Half Billion,” Washington Post, December 19, 2010, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/17/AR2010121705271.html.

  32. Russell Simmons, interview by author, New York, New York, April 2016.

  33. James Covert, “Macy’s and Sean John Ink Exclusive Distribution Deal,” New York Post, May 5, 2010, http://nypost.com/2010/05/05/macys-and-sean-john-ink-exclusive-distribution-deal/.

  34. Jean E. Palmieri, “Global Brands Acquires Majority Stake in Sean John,” WWD, November 30, 2016, http://wwd.com/menswear-news/mens-retail-business/sean-combs-puffy-global-brands-sean-john-10714373/.

  35. Russell Simmons, interview by author, New York, New York, April 2016.

  36. Russell Simmons, interview by author, New York, New York, January 2013.

  37. Russell Simmons, interview by author, New York, New York, April 2016.

  Chapter 7: A Fourth King?

  1. Real estate listing for 50 Poplar Hill Drive, Farmington, Connecticut 06032, Zillow.com, http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/50-Poplar-Hill-Dr-Farmington-CT-06032/2140575838_zpid/.

  2. Newshub staff, “Mike Tyson Tried to Talk 50 Cent Out of Buying Mansion,” Newshub, June 20, 2014, http://www.newshub.co.nz/entertainment/mike-tyson-tried-to-talk-50-cent-out-of-buying-mansion-2014062016#axzz3qOdSZKCW. Author’s note: My favorite quote from this story comes from Mike Tyson, who reportedly said, “The party’s over and four days later some girl comes out of one of the rooms… I’d be like, ‘Where’s your clothes? Who are you?’”

  3. 50 Cent, interview by author, New York, New York, August 2008. Author’s note: This quote was originally published in my story “The 50 Cent Machine,” Forbes, August 18, 2008, http://www.forbes.com/2008/08/15/music-50cent-hiphop-biz-media-cz_zog_0818fifty.html.

  4. 50 Cent, interview by author, New York, New York, March 2013.

  5. Author’s note: Jay-Z makes a habit of deliberately botching the names of his rivals in order to demean them—in this case, “50 Cent” became “50 Cents”; later, he mispronounces Nas’s name, calling him “the little homie Nazz” on Blueprint 2.

  6. 50 Cent, interview by author, New York, New York, July 2009.

  7. Lea Goldman, “Capitalist Rap,” Forbes, July 3, 2006, http://www.forbes.com/free_forbes/2006/0703/138.html.

  8. Bruce Williams, Rollin’ with Dre, Ballantine Books, New York (2008), pp. 44–45.

  9. 50 Cent, interview by author, New York, New York, March 2013.

  10. Ibid.

  11. Author’s note: Try to avoid referring to Sean Combs as “Puff Daddy or P. Diddy or Diddy or whatever his name is now” (and, while you’re at it, using the term “bling-bling”) unless you are someone who wears fanny packs unironically.

  12. Diddy, interview by author, Austin, Texas, March 2014.

  13. Fab 5 Freddy, interview by author, New York, New York, March 2011.

  14. Fab 5 Freddy, “Road to Morocco,” Vibe, March 2003, p. 135.

  15. Author’s note: My wife, who is a doctor, read an early draft of this book. Her comment on the activities described in this paragraph: “This is the worst idea.”

  16. Fab 5 Freddy, interview by author, New York, New York, March 2011.

  17. Author’s note: Diddy was basically re-creating the video for “Been Around the World” in real life. Have you seen this video? You should see this video. It is ridiculous.

  18. Fab 5 Freddy, interview by author, New York, New York, March 2011.

  19. Diddy, interview by author, Austin, Texas, March 2014.

  20. Darryl Cobbin, telephone interview by author, August 2016; electronic message to author, January 2017.

  21. Tommy Tee, interview by author, Oslo, Norway, January 2017.

  22. Rohan Oza, telephone interview by author, January 2017.

  23. Ben Sisario, “Chris Lighty, Manager of Hip-Hop Stars, Dies at Forty-Four,” New York Times, August 30, 2012, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/31/arts/music/chris-lighty-manager-of-hip-hop-stars-dies-at-44.html.

  24. Kenny Meiselas, telephone interview by author, February 2017.

  25. Chris Lighty, interview by author and Dan Adler, New York, New York, July 2009.

  26. 50 Cent, interview by author, New York, New York, March 2013.

  27. Steve Stoute, The Tanning of America, Gotham Books, New York (2011), pp. 162–163.

  28. Author’s note: This may be the most underwhelming performance of either rapper’s career.

  29. Rohan Oza, telephone interview by author, January 2017.

  30. Ray Latif, “Strand Equity Acquires Minority Stake in Bai Brands,” BevNet, June 27, 2013, http://www.bevnet.com/news/2013/strand-equity-acquires-minority-stake-in-bai-brands/.

  31. Rohan Oza, telephone interview by author, January 2017.

  32. Andrew Ross Sorkin and Andrew Martin, “Coca-Cola Agrees to Buy Vitaminwater,” New York Times, May 26, 2007, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/26/business/26drink-web.html.

  33. 50 Cent, interview by author, New York, New York, August 2008.

  34. Jay-Z, Decoded, Spiegel and Grau, New York (2010), p. 27.

  35. Fab 5 Freddy, interview by author, New York, New York, January 2016.

  36. Kate Sheehy, “Jay-Z Snaps Up $4.5 Million Basquiat Painting,” New York Post, November 20, 2013, http://nypost.com/2013/11/20/jay-z-buys-basquiat-painting-for-4-5m/.

  37. Rob Stone, interview by author, New York, New York, November 2015.

  38. Fab 5 Freddy, electronic message to author, January 2017.

  39. Sebastian Telfair, telephone interview by author, December 2009.

  40. Touré, “The Book of Jay,” Rolling Stone, December 15, 2005, http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/the-book-of-jay-20051215.

  41. Fab 5 Freddy, interview by author, New York, New York, November 2009.

  42. Craig Kallman, interview by author, New York, New York, January 2016.

  43. Shaheem Reid, “Jay-Z and Nas Put Beef to Sleep in Onstage Show of Unity,” MTV News, October 28, 2005, http://www.mtv.com/news/1512432/jay-z-and-nas-put-beef-to-sleep-in-onstage-show-of-unity/.

  44. Common, interview by author, New York, New York, July 2014.

  45. 50 Cent, interview by author, New York, New York, March 2014. Author’s note: This quote was originally published in my story “Resolving 50 Cent’s Headphone Dilemma,” Forbes, March 20, 2014, http://www.forbes.com/sites/zackomalleygreenburg/2014/03/20/resolving-50-cents-headphone-dilemma/.

  46. Travis Lyles, “50 Cent Is Bragging About His New Home in Africa Two Months After Filing for Bankruptcy,” Stamford Advocate, September 9, 2015, http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/technology/businessinsider/article/50-Cent-is-bragging-about-his-new-home-in-Africa-6494740.php.

  47. In Re: Curtis James Jackson III, Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Order Confirming Third Amended Plan of Reorganization, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut Hartford Division, Case No. 15-21233, August 2, 2016.

  48. Daniel Gill, “Rapper Inflation,” Bloomberg BNA, December 16, 2016, https://www.bna.com/rapper-inflation-50-n73014448724/.

  Chapter 8: The Beats Generation

  1. Noel Lee, interview by author, New York, New York, May 2016.

  2. Author’s note: I like to eat cheese—especially, it seems, while doin
g interviews.

  3. Noel Lee, interview by author, New York, New York, May 2016.

  4. Jimmy Iovine, opening remarks at Beats reception, New York, New York, October 2011. Author’s note: This quote was originally published in my story “HTC Hasn’t Forgotten About Dr. Dre,” Forbes, October 12, 2011, http://www.forbes.com/sites/zackomalleygreenburg/2011/10/12/htc-hasnt-forgotten-about-dr-dre-or-jimmy-or-monster/.

  5. Noel Lee, interview by author, New York, New York, May 2016; electronic message to author, January 2017.

  6. Burt Helm, “How Dr. Dre’s Headphones Company Became a Billion-Dollar Business,” Inc., May 2014, http://www.inc.com/audacious-companies/burt-helm/beats.html.

  7. Antony Bruno, “Beats by Dre: The Secrets Behind a Headphone Empire,” Billboard, November 19, 2010, http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/950594/beats-by-dre-the-secrets-behind-a-headphone-empire.

  8. Noel Lee, interview by author, New York, New York, May 2016.

  9. Brian Dunn, telephone interview by author, December 2016.

  10. Noel Lee, interview by author, New York, New York, May 2016.

  11. Brian Dunn, telephone interview by author, December 2016.

  12. Jeff Leeds, “Jay-Z to Quit His Day Job as President of Def Jam,” New York Times, December 25, 2007, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/25/business/25music.html.

  13. Jay-Z, interview with Steve Forbes and Warren Buffett, September 2010. Transcript: http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/1011/rich-list-10-omaha-warren-buffett-jay-z-steve-forbes-summit-interview.html.

  14. Jennifer Garcia and Mike Fleeman, “Source: Beyoncé and Jay-Z Are Married,” People, April 4, 2008, http://people.com/celebrity/source-beyonc-and-jay-z-are-married/.

  15. Jeff Leeds, “In Rapper’s Deal, a New Model for Music Business,” New York Times, April 3, 2008, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/03/arts/music/03jayz.html.

  16. Ray Waddell, “It’s a Hard Roc Life,” Hollywood Reporter, May 5, 2008, http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/a-hard-roc-life-jay-110862.

  17. Jay-Z, interview with Steve Forbes and Warren Buffett, September 2010. Transcript: http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/1011/rich-list-10-omaha-warren-buffett-jay-z-steve-forbes-summit-interview.html.

  18. NPG Records, Inc., and NPG Music Publishing LLC Versus Roc Nation LLC and Aspiro AB, United States District Court, District of Minnesota, Case No. 16-cv-03909-JRT-FLN, January 9, 2017.

  19. Ray Waddell, “U2 Signs Twelve-Year Deal with Live Nation,” Billboard, March 31, 2008, http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1046023/u2-signs-12-year-deal-with-live-nation.

  20. Gary Bongiovanni, telephone interview by author, October 2015.

  21. Randy Phillips, interview by author, Los Angeles, California, February 2016. (The article in question: Steve Knopper, “Live Nation Strikes Deal with Jay-Z, U2,” Rolling Stone, May 1, 2008, pp. 11–12.)

  22. Randy Phillips, interview by author, Los Angeles, California, December 2016.

  23. Gary Bongiovanni, electronic message to author, February 2017; Pollstar Pro, “Artist Tour History Report,” 2007 to 2017, courtesy of Bongiovanni.

  24. Kevin Morrow, telephone interview by author, October 2015.

  25. Randy Phillips, interview by author, Los Angeles, California, February 2016.

  26. Noel Lee, interview by author, New York, New York, May 2016.

  27. Antony Bruno, “Beats by Dre: The Secrets Behind a Headphone Empire,” Billboard, November 19, 2010, http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/950594/beats-by-dre-the-secrets-behind-a-headphone-empire.

  28. PrivCo staff, “Beats Electronics Financials and KPIs,” accessed January 5, 2017, www.PrivCo.com (account needed for log-in).

  29. BusinessWire staff, “Timbaland Joins 50 Cent and SMS Audio as Investor Partner,” BusinessWire, January 3, 2013, http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130103005697/en/Timbaland-Joins-50-Cent-SMS-Audio%E2%84%A2-Investor.

  30. Hannah Karp, “Apple’s New Beat: What Steve Jobs and Dr. Dre Have in Common,” Wall Street Journal, June 6, 2014, http://www.wsj.com/articles/apples-new-beat-what-steve-jobs-and-dr-dre-have-in-common-1402080817.

  31. Noel Lee, interview by author, New York, New York, May 2016.

  32. Brian Dunn, telephone interview by author, December 2016.

  33. Jimmy Iovine, opening remarks at Beats reception, New York, New York, October 2011.

  34. MC Serch, interview by author, New York, New York, November 2015.

  35. PrivCo staff, “Beats Electronics Financials and KPIs,” accessed January 5, 2017, www.PrivCo.com (account needed for log-in).

  36. Noel Lee, interview by author, New York, New York, May 2016.

  37. Ingrid Lunden, “MOG Went for a Song,” TechCrunch, July 3, 2012, https://techcrunch.com/2012/07/03/mog-went-for-a-song-htc-says-beats-paid-only-14m-for-the-music-streaming-service/.

  38. Beats staff, “Beats Electronics Announces Independent Funding for Music Service,” press release, March 6, 2013, accessed via Engadget, https://www.engadget.com/2013/03/06/beats-apple-streaming-rumor/.

  39. Ibid.

  40. Noel Lee, interview by author, New York, New York, May 2016; timeline provided by Lee to author, May 2016.

  41. Noel Lee, electronic message to author, May 2017.

  42. Daniel Kreps, “Nipple Ripples,” Rolling Stone, January 30, 2014, http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/nipple-ripples-10-years-of-fallout-from-janet-jacksons-halftime-show-20140130.

  43. Gil Kaufman, “P. Diddy No Longer Has Total Bad Boy Control,” MTV.com, April 15, 2005, http://www.mtv.com/news/1500205/p-diddy-no-longer-has-total-bad-boy-control/.

  44. Diddy, interview by author, Austin, Texas, March 2014.

  45. Alex Macpherson, Last Train to Paris review, BBC, date unknown, http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/m98r/.

  46. Rolling Stone staff, “The Eleven Biggest Musical Disasters of 2010,” Rolling Stone, December 29, 2010, http://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/the-11-biggest-musical-disasters-of-2010-20101229/diddy-dirty-money-0817907.

  47. John Biggs, “Monster Diddybeats, for All Your Diddy Music Needs,” TechCrunch, May 24, 2010, https://techcrunch.com/2010/05/24/diddybeats-for-all-your-diddy-music-needs/.

  48. Noel Lee, interview by author, New York, New York, May 2016.

  49. Kenny Meiselas, telephone interview by author, February 2017.

  50. Noel Lee, interview by author, New York, New York, May 2016.

  51. Brian Dunn, telephone interview by author, December 2016.

  52. Michael J. De La Merced, “Beats Gets Infusion of Capital from Carlyle Group,” New York Times, September 27, 2013, http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/09/27/beats-secures-investment-from-carlyle-and-buys-out-htc/.

  53. Christopher Ullman, electronic message to author, January 2017.

  54. Noel Lee, interview by author, New York, New York, May 2016.

  55. Michael J. De La Merced, “Beats Gets Infusion of Capital from Carlyle Group,” New York Times, September 27, 2013, http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/09/27/beats-secures-investment-from-carlyle-and-buys-out-htc/.

  56. PrivCo staff, “The True Financial Story of Beats Electronics,” PrivCo, May 29, 2014, https://www.privco.com/apple-acquires-beats-electronics-for-unjustified-valuation-the-true-financial-story-of-beats-electronics.

  57. Andrew Hampp, “Eminem, Dr. Dre, Diddy Headline ‘Live Playlist’ at Beats Music’s Overcapacity Launch Party,” Billboard, January 25, 2014, http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/5885293/eminem-dr-dre-diddy-headline-live-playlist-at-beats-musics-over-capacity.

  58. Noel Lee, interview by author, New York, New York, May 2016.

  59. PrivCo staff, “The True Financial Story of Beats Electronics,” PrivCo, May 29, 2014, https://www.privco.com/apple-acquires-beats-electronics-for-unjustified-valuation-the-true-financial-story-of-beats-electronics.

  60. Apple Inc., Form 10-K (Annual Report), EDGAR Online, October 27, 2014, http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/AAPL/3300446684x0xS1193125-14-383437/320193/filing.pdf.

  61. Troy Carter, interview
by author, Los Angeles, California, November 2015.

  62. John Biggs, “Apple’s Beats Deal Is Happening, and It’s a Dre Acquihire,” TechCrunch, May 22, 2014, https://techcrunch.com/2014/05/22/apples-beats-deal-is-happening-and-its-a-dre-acquihire/.

  63. Matt Richtel and Brian X. Chen, “Tim Cook, Making Apple His Own,” New York Times, June 15, 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/15/technology/tim-cook-making-apple-his-own.html.

  64. Troy Carter, interview by author, Los Angeles, California, November 2015.

  65. Jason Tanz, “Can Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre Save the Music Industry?,” Wired, August 2015, https://www.wired.com/2015/08/can-jimmy-iovine-dr-dre-save-music-industry/.

  66. Noel Lee, interview by author, New York, New York, May 2016.

  67. Daniel Roberts, “Will.i.am on Apple’s Beats Buy: ‘It’s Good for the Culture,’” Fortune, May 29, 2014, http://fortune.com/2014/05/29/will-i-am-on-apples-beats-buy-its-good-for-the-culture/.

  68. Noel Lee, interview by author, New York, New York, May 2016.

  69. Monster LLC et al. Versus Beats Electronics LLC et al., Superior Court for the State of California, Case No. CIV 531991, January 6, 2014, https://timedotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/legalcomplaint.0.pdf.

  70. Noel Lee, interview by author, New York, New York, May 2016.

  71. Associated Press staff, “Beats Wins in Case That Accused Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine of Double-Crossing Investor,” Los Angeles Times, August 30, 2016, http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-beats-apple-lawsuit-20160830-snap-story.html.

  72. Noel Lee, interview by author, New York, New York, May 2016.

  Chapter 9: Grape Expectations

  1. Lyle Fass, interview by author, New York, New York, December 2016.

  2. Author’s note: Yes, wine critics are far from infallible—witness the infamous 1976 “Judgment of Paris,” when France’s finest judges picked cheap American reds over pricey Bordeaux wines in a blind taste test—but Fass’s familiarity with the grapes present in Cîroc, D’Ussé, and Armand de Brignac made him uniquely qualified to be a guide for this chapter. Also, he is hilarious.

  3. Lyle Fass, interview by author, New York, New York, December 2016.

  4. Eric Schmidt, telephone interview by author, December 2016.