ZOMBA LABEL GROUP ENTERS VENTURE WITH HITZ COMMITTEE ENTERTAINMENT
The Zomba Label Group (ZLG) has entered into a venture with Hitz Committee Entertainment it was announced today. Under the terms of the deal, Zomba will partner with Hitz Committee Entertainment on recorded music, television, film and music publishing projects. Helmed by Hitz Committee Entertainment CEO Mickey “MeMpHiTz” Wright Jr., the company will continue to be based in New York.
Wright has been an integral member of ZLG’s A&R team, signing the multi-platinum singer and uber-producer T-Pain and St. Louis-based rapper Huey, whose 2006 platinum-certified hit single, “Pop, Lock And Drop It,” sold in excess of two million Mastertones. Hitz Committee Entertainment is currently preparing Huey’s sophomore release and music from newcomers Trai’D, a Dallas-based rapper and Jacksonville-based singer Asia Cruise.
MeMpHiTz’s meteoric rise began as an intern at Arista Records in 2003. He quickly made a name for himself working with the Youngbloodz on the duo’s gold-certified sophomore album, Drankin’ Patnaz. While at Arista, he also signed the St. Louis-based rapper J-Kwon, who scored a break-out hit with “Tipsy” from his gold-certified debut album. Wright has worked with and learned from top music industry luminaries including Antonio “L.A.” Reid, Jermaine Dupri, Clive Davis and Barry Weiss. He has emerged as part of a distinctive new class of multi-talented music executives.
Barry Weiss states, “It’s an extremely rare occasion that a music executive possesses a combination of great intuitive insights, creative instincts, business savvy and inimitable showmanship. MeMpHiTz has all of those qualities; he is a strong A&R executive, but he’s also a sound businessman and a veritable personality and artist himself. We’re excited to take our relationship with him to this new level.”
Wright states, “Since my first venture into the music business I’ve been determined to succeed, and now with this new exciting partnership with the Zomba Label Group and Hitz Committee Entertainment I truly believe that the sky’s the limit. I would like to thank Barry Weiss and all the incredible people at Zomba for their faith in me and look forward to achieving greater success. Its time to DO WORK and I’m more than ready.”
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The Zomba Label Group consists of record labels Jive, LaFace, Volcano, Verity, GospoCentric and Fo Yo Soul. These labels represent a varied group of artists including Justin Timberlake, R. Kelly, Usher, Tool, Ciara, Chris Brown, Pink, Britney Spears, OutKast, Kirk Franklin, Three Days Grace, 311, Nick Lachey, T-Pain, Byron Cage, Bullet For My Valentine, Buddy Guy, Living Things, Anthony Hamilton, Donnie McClurkin, John P. Kee, Fred Hammond, Hezekiah Walker, Marvin Sapp, Kelly Price, J. Moss and Backstreet Boys.
