The Orchard To Launch Massive Digital Marketing Campaign Behind New Black Sheep Project, ‘8wm/Novakane’
Legendary New York Hip-Hop Act Returns to the Scene 15 Years After Landmark Debut, “A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing”
Digital-Only Release, Supported By a Comprehensive Online Retail Marketing Program, Blazes New Ground
NEW YORK – October 17, 2006, – The Orchard, the world’s leading digital distributor and marketer of independent music, today announced a distribution and marketing deal with Black Sheep, the legendary New York hip-hop act that broke through in 1991 as part of the Native Tongues Posse, which also included such seminal acts as the Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest, and De La Soul.
The Orchard will digitally distribute and market Black Sheep’s new, digital-only album, “8WM/Novakane,” on October 24, 2006 – 15 years to the day since street date on the group’s platinum release, “A Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing” (Mercury Records), which spawned the hits “The Choice is Yours” and “Strobelite Honey.” “8WM/Novakane” is the first full-length studio set by Black Sheep since the act, led by Andre “Dres” Titus, disbanded following its sophomore album, “Non Fiction.”
“This release re-establishes Black Sheep as masters of high-energy, funk heavy hip-hop with pop hooks and intelligent, thought-provoking lyrics,” said Greg Scholl, chief executive of The Orchard. “We’re lining up a full-on marketing campaign that will help Black Sheep reconnect with their base and reach a new generation of hip-hop fans that grew up on music influenced by the group. The plan includes heavy promotion to the leading digital music stores and mobile outlets, a blog blitz, mastertones, exclusive live tracks and video and audio footage, and special events.”
Black Sheep leader Andre “Dres” Titus said, “‘8WM/Novakane’ feels like old times for us, but it’s also a new beginning. Thanks to The Orchard, we’re in artistic control of this project on every level – we’re doing it our way, and The Orchard is going to blow it out for us. We’re pumped to get out in front of our fans again. It’s been a long time, but people, the wait was worthwhile.”
Elements of the marketing campaign behind “8WM/Novakane” include:
• Worldwide distribution and marketing through The Orchard’s network of hundreds of digital music stores, including iTunes, eMusic, Napster, Rhapsody, Yahoo, and AOL MusicNow;
• Exclusive live tracks produced by The Orchard and recorded live at Black Sheep’s recent comeback show in New York, which received rave reviews in a wide range of print and online media, from Rolling Stone to Tripwire to Brooklyn Vegan;
• Distribution of mastertones from “8WM/Novakane” through The Orchard’s more than 200 mobile partners, including Jamster, Verizon, and Groove Mobile;
• Exclusive remixes of the vintage Black Sheep hit “The Choice is Yours” available as mastertones;
• A blog blitz of the lead single, “Whodat?,” to DJs, tastemakers, and bloggers;
• Video liner notes featuring behind-the-scenes footage and an audio/visual commentary from Black Sheep about the album; the video liner notes will be distributed via YouTube and Black Sheep’s website, www.blacksheeponline.com, or www.myspace.com/blacksheep;
• A listening party for “8WM/Novakane” on October 17, featuring a performance by front man Dres.
About The Orchard
The Orchard is the world’s leading digital distributor and marketer of independent music, with a catalogue of more than one million tracks representing 73 countries, thousands of labels, and every music genre. This catalogue includes titles from multi-platinum acts such as Green Day, Coldplay, Ray Charles, and Barenaked Ladies, as well as from breaking bands like The Hold Steady, Bedouin Soundclash, and Immortal Technique. The Orchard supplies all the leading legal digital music stores and mobile operators throughout the world and markets its labels’ catalogues for sync song placements in films, commercials, and television shows. The company is owned by Dimensional Associates, the private equity arm of JDS Capital Management, Inc. whose portfolio companies also include eMusic and Dimensional Music Publishing. The Orchard is headquartered in New York and London, with offices in 23 countries and six continents. For more information, please visit: www.theorchard.com
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