Radio One founder Cathy Hughes has ordered that all music under Mathew Knowles Music World Music label be banned from its radio stations nationwide. Hughes accuses the father of megastar Beyoncé of violating an exclusive TV rights deal to the annual Essence Music Festival and giving the content to major competitors.
Hughes went volcanic because Knowles Music World Music brokered the deal for exclusive rights, only to reissue the same from the annual Essence Fest to BET, MTV and BET’s Centric Network despite TV One’s exclusivity agreement that was to last four years.
Hughes and TV One are suing the three entities.
“All Radio One personnel were told to pull all Music World artists out of rotation immediately and indefinitely! We were told that the mandate came straight from Ms. Hughes and that there would be ramifications for anyone playing or mentioning a Music World artist or song on air,” said Radio One employee, according to reports, who spoke under the condition of anonymity.
Snatching all of Music World’s songs and artists potentially creates a financial avalanche that crashes down upon Knowles. His company primarily focuses on gospel music currently.
“Radio One owns at least 12 gospel stations across the country — that’s the majority. It’s hard for artists to sell CD’s without radio airplay. Right now Music World definitely isn’t getting any from Radio One,” the source said.
