Sorry if this has been posted before but I've only just found it. A few weeks ago, Dizzee Rascal signed to Universal.

 

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a35...ecord-deal.html

 

I'm glad to see him back but anyone know why he signed!?

 

He was doing well with his own label, Dirtee Stank. Made a LOT of money - millions, more than he would if he was on a label!

 

Under his own label, he could easily sell 6-750k singles before releasing an album which would more than likely go platinum. I don't think I'm being too optimisic on the singles figures because he's well liked and always backed by radio stations.

 

Thoughts?

Edited December 10, 201113 yr by sixoneniner

Well, I think that record label is an American one? So I guess it could be so he can break the US? He might still use his own record label for the UK, but I don't think he'd be able to get on the radio in the US with it.

 

I think the single from his re-release sold *only* 200,000 though. Which is still really good, but compared to how much Bonkers and Dance Wiv me sold...

Well Universal will probably give him a lot of money. And he'll be able to crack America with a big budget.

Well, I think that record label is an American one? So I guess it could be so he can break the US? He might still use his own record label for the UK, but I don't think he'd be able to get on the radio in the US with it.

 

I think the single from his re-release sold *only* 200,000 though. Which is still really good, but compared to how much Bonkers and Dance Wiv me sold...

 

Yeah, but I meant from his latest album, look how well the singles did. 200k singles equates to £150,000 for him and him only assuming they were all downloads. Any other artist would have to sell a hell of a lot more for that kinda money.

 

Well Universal will probably give him a lot of money. And he'll be able to crack America with a big budget.

 

I can't see him breaking America so I hope the deal is for US only.

Nah I disagree. If Tinie Tempah can break America, Dizzee definitely can.

Nah I disagree. If Tinie Tempah can break America, Dizzee definitely can.

 

I mean, dizzee sold something like 50k or so albums of Boy In Da Corner (I think) in the States, but his newer stuff hasn't done well. I could see something like Bonkers doing very well over there, but he owns the rights to this song so it isn't likely it'd be released via Universal.

 

I'm a Tinie fan, but I think WITS did well over there because it was promoted on a bunch of adverts, promo etc, and only the chrous was played. IMO I can't see him seeing similar success with follow up singles.

And what was probably the main promotion for Written in the Stars was that it was the theme tune for the wrestling, which is quite a big thing over there. It did so well though, as whilst it did only peak at #12, it's #63 in the year-end chart! It must've had a really good chart run.

 

Also, not saying he copied the songs (he couldn't have done, since WITS was made before them), but I think it helped that it was a bit similar to Airplanes and Love the Way You Lie, since they were the two most popular hip hop songs of 2010, so the public would've been used to that type of song.

 

About Dizzee Rascal, I think his song which would most likely be a hit in the US at the moment is Holiday, especially in the summer. Except that it's never a good idea to release a 3 year-old song, but musically, it's the sort of thing I think they'd like there atm I think.

And what was probably the main promotion for Written in the Stars was that it was the theme tune for the wrestling, which is quite a big thing over there. It did so well though, as whilst it did only peak at #12, it's #63 in the year-end chart! It must've had a really good chart run.

 

Also, not saying he copied the songs (he couldn't have done, since WITS was made before them), but I think it helped that it was a bit similar to Airplanes and Love the Way You Lie, since they were the two most popular hip hop songs of 2010, so the public would've been used to that type of song.

 

About Dizzee Rascal, I think his song which would most likely be a hit in the US at the moment is Holiday, especially in the summer. Except that it's never a good idea to release a 3 year-old song, but musically, it's the sort of thing I think they'd like there atm I think.

 

Maybe, but I think the majority of people who bought WITS bought it on the chrous, not to say Tinie was poor on it, just that's all people really heard before purchasing. I guess this is why I think Bonkers would do better than Holiday. Bonkers doesn't have a whole lot of lyrics compared to Holiday, and the British accent on rap isn't familiar with the US public.

This should really be in the R&B, Hip Hop Forum...

 

So Dizzee is trying to make it to the US just like how Tinie Tempah is? Not sure if he'll be liked over there, his accent is quite...... hard to understand at times.

Maybe, but I think the majority of people who bought WITS bought it on the chrous, not to say Tinie was poor on it, just that's all people really heard before purchasing. I guess this is why I think Bonkers would do better than Holiday. Bonkers doesn't have a whole lot of lyrics compared to Holiday, and the British accent on rap isn't familiar with the US public.

 

That's true. Although I was thinking Bonkers might not be a good idea because the beat is quite weird, whilst the beat on Holiday isn't too much different to the beats Pitbull, LMFAO, Flo Rida, etc. are using at the moment.

 

The music video to Holiday is very US friendly aswell. :lol: The US are much more tolerant to the concept of girls wearing bikinis than the British public (half of whom still seem to be living in the 1800's) are...

I really can't see Dizzee Rascal breaking the USA, I know Tinie had a relatively successful breakthrough there but I think he's more US-friendly by a mile. Tinie gets compared to B.o.B a lot. Dizzee just seems too British to do well in the USA.

Now that Tinie's broken the US, I think Dizzee will struggle - Tempah's songs are definitely more radio friendly - and with the likes of Nicole Scherzinger and Snoop Dogg supporting him out there, and with some good collaborations on the album, he's already making a mark. Dizzee's 'big' collaboration was with Calvin Harris, or with Florence and the Machine - neither of which are big enough to make him popular out there.

 

Perhaps the next single from Dizzee will give us a good indication.