TVT Fires Most Of Its Staff, Is Expected To File Chapter 11

Last night, the New York-based label TVT Records fired the bulk of its staff, and it’s expected to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection later this week. TVT, which started in 1985 as a label devoted to bringing the television themes of yore together on the Television’s Greatest Hits compilations, had a roster of artists that at one time included Nine Inch Nails, and currently includes the Polyphonic Spree, Lil Jon, and the Ying Yang Twins. Trouble has been brewing at the label for a while: In 2005 Lil Jon had a public spat with label president Steve Gottlieb (although the two have since reunited, and TVT was supposed to release his forthcoming album Crunk Rock sometime soon), and a few weeks ago, another member of the label’s roster, Pitbull, told his fans that they should download, and not buy, his recent album The Boatlift because Gottlieb didn’t deserve to profit from his work:

“When I tell y’all [not to buy my record], it’s not because I don’t want you to support me,” the rapper said in an interview on Latina.com. “It’s because I don’t want you to support what this man [TVT President Steve Gottlieb] is doing to an artist that everybody knows is humble, a hustler and a grinder.”

Despite having those at the label who support him, the root of Pitbull’s discontent, according to the rapper, is TVT President Steve Gottlieb.

“My problem is with the president, and he knows that,” said Pitbull. “When you don’t clear me for a DJ Khaled album, when you don’t clear me for a Janet Jackson record, hardly cleared me so I had to fight tooth and nail to get on the Gloria Estefan record…I bust my ass for [TVT].

“I’m out here working like a slave, doing things that other artists don’t even know how to do,” the rapper continued. “A label’s there to further and promote your career, but it feels like they just keep holding me back.”

Well, it looks like Pitbull won’t have to worry about being held back anymore, although I suspect that this situation is going to turn into one of those “careful what you wish for”-type deals.

BREAKING NEWS: TVT Filing Chapter 11; Staff Fired [AllHipHop.com]