Photo by Tse Daniel

SOCAN presents “Cookin’ Beats” panel with Prezident Jeff at CMW 2021 onine

Story by Howard Druckman | Thursday May 13th, 2021

SOCAN will be out in full force online throughout CMW 2021, including at our ever-popular “Cookin’ Beats” panel, this year featuring Prezident Jeff. In discussion with SOCAN A&R Representative, Rap & R&B, Michael Asante, Jeff will show CMW delegates how he crafts a killer beat. It all happens on Thursday, May 20 (Day Three), from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. ET. (All further times are ET.)

Earlier the same day, from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m., SOCAN Interim CEO Jennifer Brown will deliver opening remarks, along with The Honourable Lisa MacLeod, Ontario Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, and Karen Thorne-Stone, the President & CEO of  Ontario Creates.

Immediately after, Brown will join SOCAN A&R Representative Melissa Cameron-Passley; Warner Chappell Music Canada General Manager (and member of SOCAN’s Board of Directors) Vivian Barclay; and Ultra Music Senior Director of A&R (and former SOCAN A&R Representative) Andreas Rizek, for a panel presented by SOCAN, “Collective Collab: The Writer-Publisher Relationship in the Era of the Social Media Explosion.” Also attending will be JR Antoine, Co-Founder and President of Studio 44, as well as singer-songwriter Nick Henriques and artist JESSIA.

SOCAN Vice-President, Royalty Collections, Kit Wheeler, will participate in another panel on May 20, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., “Locking Down Corona-Royalties: Online Concert Revenue and How to Secure It”

Again on the same day, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., at the “Rights & Revenue Streams for Songwriters” session, will get you tapped into all the ways you can make money as a songwriter, from performance rights to mechanical royalties to NFTS to funding. This panel features SOCAN West Coast A&R Representative Houtan Hodania, and the Executive Director of The SOCAN Foundation, Charlie Wall-Andrews.

Andrews is also — along with Keziah Myers, Executive Director, ADVANCE, Canada’s Black Music Business Collective — presenting “CALL-TO-ACTION: Allies in Music,” on Tuesday, May 18, at 2:50 p.m. It’s a session teaching current ways to challenge the status quo, and take action to promote inclusivity and belonging in the Canadian music industry.

A full schedule of all CMW events can be viewed here, and you can register to attend here.

Photo by courtesy. The Weeknd.

The Weeknd dominates 2021 Billboard Music Award nominations, with 15

Story by Howard Druckman | Monday May 17th, 2021

After being shut out by the 2021 Grammy Awards, SOCAN member The Weeknd is dominating the 2021 Billboard Music Award nominations, with no less than 15 of them.

He’s nominated eight times as an artist, for

  • Top Artist
  • Top Male Artist
  • Top Hot 100 Artist
  • Top Streaming Songs Artist
  • Top Song Sales Artist
  • Top Radio Songs Artist
  • Top R&B Artist
  • Top R&B Male Artist

His song “Blinding Lights” has earned five nominations, for

  • Top Hot 100 Song
  • Top Streaming Song
  • Top Selling Song
  • Top Radio Song
  • Top R&B Song

His LP After Hours is nominated for Top Billboard 200 Album and Top R&B Album.

Drake’s seven nominations are for

  • Top Artist
  • Top Male Artist
  • Top Billboard 200 Artist
  • Top Hot 100 Artist
  • Top Streaming Songs Artist
  • Top Rap Artist
  • Top Streaming Song (for “Life Is Good,” by Future featuring Drake)

The song “WHATS POPPIN,” by Jack Harlow featuring DaBaby, Tory Lanez, and Lil Wayne, is nominated for

  • Top Streaming Song
  • Top Collaboration (Fan Voted)
  • Top Rap Song

The Billboard Music Awards will be held on Sunday, May 23, 2021, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. The ceremony will be broadcast live from NBC, and will be hosted by Nick Jonas. The full list of performers is yet to be announced.

SOCAN congratulates The Weeknd, Drake, and Tory Lanez on these achievements!

Video Interview: Staying Home with Chin Injeti

Story by Howard Druckman | Wednesday May 12th, 2021

In the midst of social distancing to combat the spread of COVID-19, SOCAN continues to conduct video interviews with our members online – in our video series, “Staying Home with…” Today, it’s Chin Injeti.

Chin Injeti has enjoyed great success as a beat-maker and producer. His work with Eminem includes tracks on the Grammy-winning 2010 album Recovery. Another album he worked on picked up a Grammy as well – Gravity, by Christian hip-hop artist Lecrae. And he – along with his production partner DJ Khalil – has placed tracks with Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Clipse featuring Kanye West, and (early on) Drake (on his So Far Gone mixtape/EP), and worked with Bruno Mars, P!NK, Pitbull, and Aloe Blacc. Currently busy working on his own stuff, Injeti has released a string of singles during 2020 and 2021 – “For the Love of Life,” “Falling,” Serious,” and “Let Go.”

He talks to us about life in lockdown, who he’s working with, what he’s up to next, and the music publisher (later a SOCAN executive) he credits as one of the keys to his early success.