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Veteran singer Half Pint (left), with manager Loyal Haylett.
Half Pint lands deal with Universal Music
A unique deal for a unique artiste
Basil Walters, Observer staff reporter [email protected]
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Internationally acclaimed reggae singer Half Pint continues to belie the diminutive stature implicit in his moniker, as he once again makes another giant stride musically with the recent signing of a joint venture deal with Essential Media Group LLC for his expansive catalogue.
"Essential Media Group LLC and Loyal Haylett Management are pleased to announce the signing of a joint-venture deal for Half Pint Music catalogue and the venerable chart topping dancehall reggae superstar, Half Pint," reads the release on the EMG website.
When contacted, an elated Loyal Haylett, Half Pint's manager for the past 10 years, confirmed, "I'm very happy about it, very happy. Finally I was able to make what I call a unique deal for a unique artiste."
Asked to explain the uniqueness of the deal, Haylett explained: "For one, this deal is a major distribution deal with Universal, a joint-venture with Essential Media Group called EMG, with them and Half Pint Music. What makes this deal so unique, is that they will be committing a certain amount of funds to the promotion of the album and to the artiste, but they are not getting any option.
"There is no option in terms of picking up a second album. they have never done it before and I personally wanted a situation where after all is said and done, we're still in a position to look on new horizons if we so desire, and if we're happy with what is going on, then we will remain there. But things change constantly and sometimes what is great now isn't okay next year, because deals change constantly.
"Secondly, we also got involved with another part of the deal for his (Half Pint) back catalogue and that is to remaster some of his classic songs and put out a best of collectables. like a double CD packaging, a very unique style of packaging that I work on with them, something like a book format and a story on his life.
"That will also be coming out with worldwide distribution but instead of just Universal alone, there will be other sub-distributors who will be able to get this, so it won't be exclusive to Universal. Other sub-distributors throughout the world will be able to distribute this music as well."
Haylett also told the Observer, that a special arrangement of the deal, is for placement of Half Pint's songs in movies and TV commercials with the company coming directly to the singer's management instead of going to the publisher.
"A lot of times let's say a movie director likes a certain song and they would like to put the song in a movie, but sometimes it ends up in the publisher's office and it takes weeks for clearance. By the time that clearance comes through the movie producer might have already moved on to something else.
"And so to eliminate those issues which we have had in the past, because some wonderful opportunities came and because people didn't get back in a timely fashion, now this is coming to management. We have agreed that in three days, as soon as the song is chosen, we will okay it and have the power to sign off on it. And then the publisher will do the collecting and so forth for us." "Our publisher now is Universal, a direct publishing deal with Universal, as they acquired BMG, which was our publisher and they have asked us to re-sign the deal with them. We agreed to move forward with them with those changes that we implemented and which they have decided to agree to," Haylet said.
He also explained that Universal would not only distridute, but publish on their behalf. He said his management company and the artiste had more control by playing a major role in decision making.
With his vocal capabilities and explosive stage presence, Half Pint has enjoyed a long history of success dating back to the early 1980s. If vintage in this context improves like wines that get better with the passing years, the prolific hit-maker, born Lindon Roberts, over the years blooms continually with classics like Greetings, Political Friction, Winsome, Sally, Too Rude, Pouchie Lou, Substitute Lover, Money Man Skank, One In A Million, One Big Family among countless others lasting from generation to generation.
"For me it's for more continuation of maintaining reggae music out there internationally and knowing that the music itself is coming from a far way, wherein the ingredients of it is life, love and liberty. And so we still have that conviction and that devotion is continuing doing the same works such as the greats," was how Half Pint, in a tone of humility reacted to this, the latest milestone in his illustrious career.
Shortly, EMG will release No Stress Express, his latest of over 15 albums and which, to borrow from the title of his second album, catches Half Pint In Fine Style.
my guy always seh him was Gad adopted son...wonda if is true [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70402-thinking.gif[/img]
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