Confirming weeks of industry speculation Sony Urban Music, a record label that catered to R&B and hip-hop fans with artist such as Beyonce and Three 6 Mafia, has been integrated with Columbia Records Group in the latest reorganization this year at label parent Sony Music BMG Entertainment.
Employees were notified last Thursday by Sony Music Label Group President Rob Stringer and by late Friday a wave of pink slips - upwards of 30 - went out.
"With the integration of Sony Urban Music and Columbia Records it puts the artist roster in a position of strength under one umbrella," an email from Stringer to employees read. "We remain firmly committed to signing and breaking artists in the R&B, Hip Hop and Gospel genres."
As part of the reorganisation, the memo also informed that the now defunct label's president, Lisa Ellis, was named executive vice president of Sony Music Label Group.
This summer, the top two executives at Sony Music Label Group U.S. resigned. That followed a shake-up in senior management at Sony BMG.
Sony BMG is a joint venture between Sony Corp.'s Sony Music and BMG, the music unit of German media giant Bertelsmann AG.
Employees were notified last Thursday by Sony Music Label Group President Rob Stringer and by late Friday a wave of pink slips - upwards of 30 - went out.
"With the integration of Sony Urban Music and Columbia Records it puts the artist roster in a position of strength under one umbrella," an email from Stringer to employees read. "We remain firmly committed to signing and breaking artists in the R&B, Hip Hop and Gospel genres."
As part of the reorganisation, the memo also informed that the now defunct label's president, Lisa Ellis, was named executive vice president of Sony Music Label Group.
This summer, the top two executives at Sony Music Label Group U.S. resigned. That followed a shake-up in senior management at Sony BMG.
Sony BMG is a joint venture between Sony Corp.'s Sony Music and BMG, the music unit of German media giant Bertelsmann AG.
