According to a post by DiscPlay at HQ:

http://www.housequake.com...ost1156640

Tamar has been dropped from Universal's roster. It looks like this album may very well never see the light of day.

OK, raise your hand if you're not surprised?

well that link if far from offical but...

I am not surprised. Universal was terrible in promoting Tamar and Prince. I think it is definitely a good thing for her that they dropped her,if it's true. She's better off without Universal. Prince basically did all the work promoting her on his own with all the shows he did with Tamar. Tamar will be just fine.
[Edited 8/18/06 8:36am]

Shorty said:

If you continue to read that thread over at HQ the guy that posted the info reveals his source and it sounds fairly official to me.

Did she actually have a record deal or a distribution deal like Prince?

so does the album still belong to universal? can she and/or prince do as they please with it now, or is it shelved indefinately?

man, things must be pretty ugly between prince and universal, like more than we know...

This is what DiscPlay says about his source:

"Yes, a marketing manager at Universal Sweden who referred to an official statement from the US Universal office calling all promotion off because "Támar is no longer with Universal".

Sounds to me like she's not with Universal at all and she can do what she pleases Anx. Maybe when Prince gets his stuff together and gets back online she'll have her deal with NPG records. She did her concerts with him. Maybe there will be more? I don't know. I sort of think that the momentum for Tamar's thing has been lost.

hokie1 said:

ya know what i'd do? i'd find a source like iTunes where the album could be distributed online. if there's enough interest, then print up some "hard" copies and at least sell them through CDBaby (though i'm sure he could manage something more impressive - just sayin'), and do a modest retail distribution like he did with some of his hit'n'run singles. put the album out there, but make it a little challenging to find...have her do another mini-tour, withOUT prince on stage. have her interview anyone who will interview her. i think she's too talented to get steamrolled over like this...plus i want the album!

Anx said:

Yeah, I think she needs to move on without Prince now. I can see why he helped her in the beginning, but if she wants to make a legitimate name for herself I think she should go it alone. Your idea sounds like a good one to me! Now, you just nee to tell that to Prince! I hear he comes 'round these parts from time to time. Maybe he'll read your idea!

hokie1 said:

I did read the whole thing.
"a marketing manager at Universal Sweden who referred to an official statement from the US Universal office" makes me say...where's that official statement? That's what I'd like to see now.

Shorty said:

I understand where you are coming from. I've been posting on HQ for a while now (2 years) and there don't seem to be too many people going around claiming that they are in the know when they aren't. I just thought people would be interested to know what I found. Maybe someone who isn't as lazy as I am can do some dirt digging/research on the Universal site to see if this is true!

hokie1 said:

Don't get me wrong hokie1, I AM interested in what you found and I appreciate you posting it here thanx

Shorty said:

No problem Shorty! You are most welcome!

hokie1 said:

*raises hand*

Anx said:[quote]

hokie1 said:

ya know what i'd do? i'd find a source like iTunes where the album could be distributed online. if there's enough interest, then print up some "hard" copies and at least sell them through CDBaby (though i'm sure he could manage something more impressive - just sayin'), and do a modest retail distribution like he did with some of his hit'n'run singles. put the album out there, but make it a little challenging to find...have her do another mini-tour, withOUT prince on stage. have her interview anyone who will interview her. i think she's too talented to get steamrolled over like this...plus i want the album!/[quote]

thats what's up, cant deny the truth.

silverandgold said:

I don't think Universal did anything to promote her at all to be honest.

PurpleCharm said:

Good question. I think you may be on to something.

Ifsixwuz9 said:

Exctacly makes sense that she would have a distrubtion deal. She majored in Music Business at USC and Prince is her mentor. If thats not the framework for an independent artist what is?

She co-wrote her album with Prince, so i have to believe she owns her masters.
[Edited 8/18/06 13:15pm]

Well if she owns the masters, she can get it out there however she chooses, if Universal doesn't promote her and it was just a distribution thing then she doesn't need them anyway. My only other feeling is that she really needs to get it done on her own to keep it from being lost or permantly shelved.

she may get picked up again...

http://newyork.craigslist...65632.html

Anx said:

Agreed 100 percent.

unfortunately it seems that whenever an artist is associated as Prince's protogee, the projects do not go very far. I was looking forward to her album, the few song I heard off of it were very good.

No one has a promo of this cd?

Why won't Tamar be straight on her website or her myspace
she still promotes the album as being available
August 29th

i cannot believe Prince cannot find distribution
4 this

i have 2 assume he is very dis-interested with her project

he really let 3121 fall
he gave up all the momentum he generated
by haulting all promotion
the week of the release
no remixes
and no appearance 2 promote actual singles
i often wonder what is in prince's head.
He cares enough 2 make a concise pop record
he cares enuff 2 sign with a major
but once he does all that he feels
"i did my part - U should just by it"
Black Sweat was a great commercial song and would have benefitted
from remixes for clubs and more tv appearances with performances of this

all his tv spots promoted non singles
Lolita/Get on the Boat/3121

7

thaCONcept said:

there ARE promo copies around. just waiting for them to spread copies like wildfire

Any 4 sale?
I'll take 1

or 2

7

: )

I would really like to get a promo copy of Milk & Honey too. Anyone interested in getting rid of one PM me please.

Papaj said:

Not to be cruel, but this comes as NO suprise. Great singers are a dime a dozen and the industry is cruel. Without a truly distinct personality/look one can't hope to last long. Tamar may have luck with another label (hopefully), but she'd be better off modelling or doing voice overs and studio work or working as a live back up singer. Back up singers often have better voices than lead singers (witness Nikki and Madonna!)... It's just you need to have that SOMETHING if you're going to head your own ship.

Hope that doesn't sound too mean... I'd like to reiterate that Tamar is a beautiful, smart girl with a great voice.

I dont think its likely Prince would own the recordings to tamar's stuff, so i dont think we are ever gona see it.

Here we go again With Prince,there's always alot of drama,mystery,confusion and disappointment with his protege's albums.Why does he even bother with big record companies anyway? Wasn't he always complaining that they're so evil? Why doesn't he just distribute the record himself? He used to say that it was easy for him to do this.

I feel really bad for Tamar.She deserves better than this.