As reported in Forbes, Reservoir announces the signing of multi-Platinum Grammy-nominated producer Just Blaze to a worldwide publishing deal. The agreement, which marks Blaze's first-ever global publishing deal, includes rights to his entire catalog including future works. "I think the one thing I was lacking was somebody actively trying to place [my] music in trailers or commercials or exploiting it outside of record sales," Blaze told Forbes. "That was my deciding factor in partnering with Reservoir."
Reservoir SVP of A&R and Catalog Development Faith Newman, who brought Blaze to the company, adds, "Just is one of my favorite producers and an incredibly versatile talent. After knowing him for so many years, I'm excited to work together professionally."
Born in Patterson, New Jersey, Blaze rose to prominence by producing songs on Jay-Z's multi-Platinum #1 albums The Blueprint, The
Blueprint 2 and The Black Album. The albums, which have collectively sold over ten million units worldwide, each received Grammy nominations for Best Rap Album. In addition to Jay-Z, Blaze has produced songs for some of the world's biggest pop and hip-hop power-players, including Beyoncé, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Usher, Mariah Carey, Rick Ross, Drake, Talib Kweli, Busta Rhymes, Kendrick Lamar, Ludacris, T.I. & Rihanna. He is responsible for #1 records, "Oh Boy" by
Cam'ron and "Live Your Life" by T.I. featuring Rihanna, and produced five songs on Eminem's Grammy-winning album, Recovery.
Most recently, Blaze co-wrote and produced "Freedom" featuring Kendrick Lamar, a single off of Beyoncé's critically acclaimed album, Lemonade. The song is nominated for Best Rap/Sung Performance at the 2017 Grammy Awards, while
Lemonade earned nominations for Album of the Year and Best Urban Contemporary Album. The album debuted #1 in eighteen territories and topped no less than sixteen year-end lists by publications including Rolling Stone, Billboard, and Complex. Furthermore, "Freedom" was named the top song of 2016 by Consequence of Sound.
His work goes beyond record production projects, as Blaze created music for Hollywood blockbusters, including Ice Age:
Continental Drift and The A-Team, scored video game projects for EA Sports, Capcom, and Midway, and hosted VH1's DJ competition show, Master of the Mix.
Just Blaze will work with Reservoir's Creative teams in New York, Los Angeles, and London, with the day-to-day Creative handled by Newman.
"He's spent the past few years being a DJ, touring the world," Newman told Forbes. "I want him back in the studio, and I think he's ready for that. He's nominated for Grammys, so we're going to make the rounds [at the awards] and let people know he's back."
ABOUT RESERVOIR
Reservoir is an independent music publisher based in New York City. Founded as a family business in 2007, the company began with a small, experienced team and a modest collection of long-standing hits. Today, with offices in Toronto and London, over 175 #1 releases worldwide, and writers based everywhere from Hollywood to Hamburg,
Reservoir has emerged as the boutique publisher with a global reach.
Diverse and ever-expanding,
Reservoir boasts a multi-genre, hit-driven catalog. Its archives include historic pieces written by greats like Billy Strayhorn, Bobby Pickett, David Crosby, Gram Parsons, Irving Burgie, John Denver, and Ricky Lee Jones; the contemporary-classic catalogs of Big & Rich, Lil Jon, Phantogram, Sheryl Crow, and Stephen "Static Major" Garrett; and a slew of current and recent popular hits performed by Ariana Grande, Drake, Lady Gaga, Major Lazer, Meghan Trainor, Tiësto, and several others. Reservoir's collection of film music includes rights to scores created by award-winning composer-producer Hans Zimmer, as heard in the motion pictures The Lion King, the Pirates of the Caribbean series, Gladiator, The Dark Knight Trilogy, and over 150 other titles. The company's roster of active writers and producers includes the award-winning Ina Wroldsen, Jamie Hartman, Mike Campbell, Nate "Danja" Hills, and Statik Selektah, plus popular performing artists 2 Chainz, Joey Bada$$, and WatchTheDuck.
Reservoir continues to grow through the selective acquisition of exceptional catalogs, and the signing and development of creative talent from around the world.
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