LeBron James Co-Signs Usher's Zaytoven 'A' Produced Album

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LeBron James is trying to take all the jobs. Being a perennial NBA All-Star and four-time MVP wasn't enough, so he added a television and film producer credits to his resume. To go with that, he’s also become a flawless talk show host, conducting hip hop’s most talked about interview on his HBO show “The Shop,” when Drake dropped by to discuss his grievances with Pusha T and Kanye West.
And yet, with sports, television, movies and hosting on the resume, James seems to be pushing into his next gig: music influencer.
Anyone that follows James on social media knows his other passion is music. He enjoys showcasing himself vibing to the latest and greatest tunes, whether it be the Push T “Daytona" LP (oh, the irony) or Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter V. Last week, the LA Laker co-signed Usher’s "A," telling the world his appreciation for the song “Peace Sign” in particular.
 
“I saw LeBron and he put my name in it. Shout LeBron. He shouted me out,” Zaytoven told LiveXLive on Friday in New York, as he was in town to screen his new movie “Birds of a Feather II” at a Tracklib event, and to shoot an Axe commercial with Lil Yachty.
 
Usher and Zaytoven connected in Los Angeles for just a few days on the A. The album was  completed in just about a week. James’ favorite “Peace Sign” is one of the project’s crown jewels, serving as a muse for subsequent songs during the recording process. 
 
“’Peace Sign’ was the first song we did that made me feel like ‘we got something now,’” according to Zaytoven. “Like, ‘we got the core sound of what it needs to sound like.’ You know how you just doing songs like ‘oh that sounds good; that’s pretty hard.’ ‘Peace Sign’ was the one that made me be like ‘oh wait a minute. Now we got something.’”
 
Zay produced all eight songs on the album and true to his expeditious reputation, the beats took him an average of five to ten minutes to concoct. 
 
“Usher and the other people that were in the room that’s writers, they was kinda just piecing it together,” Zay told of the process. “As I’m making the beat, we’re coming up with ideas or they’re coming up with ideas to how to sing the song. Somebody got an idea, ‘go get in the mic booth. Say it. Ok Usher go put your piece on it.’ Once you hear Usher’s voice on the beat, you know it’s magic.”
 
You’re free to listen to “A" and decide for yourself, but influential media mogul and sometimes-music-influencer LeBron James is clearly feeling that magic.

So what artist is going to be the next to benefit from the Zaytoven sound and garner a hit? The bet says he’s working with “everyone.”

While at the screening at IMI studio in Manhattan, Zay Also divulged he’s adding some more arsenal to his repertoire by sampling for the first time ever. He recently recently joined the Creators Advisory Board for Tracklib, the world’s first and only online crate-digging and music sample clearance service. Legendary hitmakers Erick Sermon and Prince Paul are also among those working with Tracklib.

Nine Inch Nails Doesn't Need The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, They Have Dance Party USA.

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Didn't Trent always seem incredibly intimidating? Maybe he is or maybe he was… but the man sounds like a GOD DAMN DELIGHT, in this new Q&A with Stereogum. 

The discussion covers a myriad of topics, including scoring films and TV, NIN's latest album, the decision to do an intimate tour, and (headlining-ly) the zero f*cks given regarding The RnR Hall Of Fame snub.

As for the brilliance that is their Dance Party USA appearance?

"[Laughs] Yeah, very well. You have to remember, we were at zero. We were from Cleveland and we were on big powerful TVT Records right? I think "Down In It" had come out, we're in New York, and we're friends with our publicist and she's like, "Hey, are there any TV shows that you guys wanna do?" And I remember we had watched that show 'cause it was so fuckin' stupid, right? And I said "Yeah, fuckin' Dance Party USA, get us on that one." As a joke, kind of. And then she says the next day, or shortly thereafter, "Hey, I got you on Dance Party USA, it films over in New Jersey, you wanna do it?" “F*ck yeah, let's do it!" Not thinking that 30 years later ... But when we got there, we didn't take it seriously, it was so absurd and people looked ridiculous. Even at the time, they looked ridiculous. We looked ridiculous. But I remember trying not to laugh while we were doing it. We were just trying to make it another month in our career."
See? Delightful!

CMT Artists of the Year

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There’s been a lot of talk over the last – oh, let’s say two decades or so, about how women in country music are not being fairly represented on the radio. “Women don’t want to hear women,” we’re told over and over, even though there’s lots of evidence that it isn’t true.

That’s why it was so important for CMT to recognize some of them in its annual Artists of the Year special – all of the honorees were women. Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Maren Morris, Kelsea Ballerini, Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott, and Little Big Town’s Kimberly Schlapman and Karen Fairchild were recognized for their contributions to the format, and Loretta Lynn was given the Artist of a Lifetime award.

In her acceptance speech, Miranda talked about the importance of women lifting each other up.

Hillary, who accepted her award from her Lady A bandmates Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood, talked about teaching her girls about chasing their dreams. (And this is how I also found out I’ve been pronouncing her daughter Eisele’s name wrong)

Maren’s speech started with the disbelief that Sheryl Crow handed her the award, and how inspired she is by her fellow honorees.

Kelsea talked about the gift of the women who’ve inspired and taught her who have also shared their stages with her and helped her, and the importance of supporting one another.

Little Big Town’s Jimi and Phillip were the ones to give awards their bandmates Karen and Kimberly, who promised to be Gladys Knight’s backup singers in heaven. And they talked about how important this night was for women, and listed a LOT of the up-and-coming women in country music who also deserve support.

Sadly, Loretta Lynn was sick and couldn’t make it to the show, but her good friend Sissy Spacek, who played her in Coal Miner’s Daughter, and who was already set to do the honors, accepted the award on her behalf, and to a standing ovation.

If you missed the show, it will air again on CMT, or you can watch the whole thing on their website. It’s worth the time – these women rock (in a country way)!