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WWE enters the ring with music venture
03/26/2006 7:38 PM, Reuters
Michael Paoletta
World Wrestling Entertainment --
better-known as the WWE -- is ramping up its music initiatives
with the formation of the WWE Music Group.
The New York-based operation will concentrate on further
connecting the WWE brand with mainstream and under-the-radar
music via multimedia platforms.
The WWE Music Group officially kicks off April 2 when
WrestleMania 22 commands the stage of Chicago's Allstate Arena.
Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child will be on hand to perform
"America the Beautiful"; rock band P.O.D. will perform wrestler
Rey Mysterio's entrance theme. Peter Gabriel's "Big Time" is
the event's theme.
The sold-out event will be available via pay-per-view and
as a webcast at wwe.com. To be sure, the WWE reach is far and
wide. Its RAW and SmackDown brands (weekly TV shows, PPVs,
tours) are household names in more than 100 countries.
Still, even with these numbers, many do not take the WWE
brand seriously. In fact, one of general manager Neil Lawi's
priorities is to educate major and indie labels, artist
managers and music publishers about the ways WWE champions
music.
"There has always been a musical element to WWE," says
Lawi. "Now, we're taking a more music-centric approach to
everything we do."
In the process, the WWE brand is becoming more of a
full-fledged entertainment company, encompassing music, TV,
film, the Internet, ringtones and videogames.
POP-CULTURE PUSH
WWE executive VP of TV production Kevin Dunn and Lawi
stress that, like the music industry, WWE is about
entertainment. With its new music division -- and with the help
of in-house talent and established artists -- their aim is to
push the WWE brand further into pop culture.
Last spring, WWE champion John Cena scored a hit with his
hip-hop debut, "You Can't See Me." Credited to John Cena & Tha
Trademarc, the WWE/Columbia album debuted at No. 15 on the
Billboard 200, No. 10 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and
No. 3 on Top Rap Albums. It has sold 292,000 copies, according
to Nielsen SoundScan.
Music World Entertainment's Mathew Knowles, who manages
Williams' career, says tag-teaming his artist with WWE made
sense. "WrestleMania has been changing and evolving over the
years," Knowles says. "It's become a multicultural, family
event -- and that is attractive to us."
Every time WWE works with a mainstream act, like Williams
or P.O.D., any stigma associated with WWE is further wrestled
to the mat.
P.O.D. has worked with WWE on more than one occasion. Most
recently, the group's "Boom" opened WWE's return to NBC with
the March 18 two-hour special, "Saturday Night's Main Event."
In May, WWE/Columbia will issue "Wreckless Intent," a
compilation featuring P.O.D., Three 6 Mafia, Killswitch Engage
and others performing the entrance themes of WWE's superstar
wrestlers.
Four months later, 20th Century Fox and WWE Films will
release "The Marine," a feature film starring Cena. It will be
accompanied by a WWE soundtrack through a label partner yet to
be determined.
Meanwhile, Lilian Garcia -- the ring announcer for "RAW" --
is working on an album with producers George Noriega (Ricky Martin) and Tim Mitchell (Shakira).
Reuters/Billboard
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