The bawse backs off: Billboard hit up Atlantic Records’ New York offices recently to hear “Self Made 3,” the third compilation from Rick Ross’ Maybach Music Group. Rockie Fresh’s “What Ya Used To,” featuring and produced by Hit-Boy, was a standout — and a perfect jump-off for Fresh’s solo album later this fall. A&R rep Dallas Martin told us Ross took a back seat in order to give his protégés more room to shine. “It’s a platform to get music heard,” Martin says. “It’s hard for artists to break without being a part of the movement.”
Catch a fire: What’s Capitol got to do with the next Arcade Fire album? Depending on whom you ask, a lot. The Canadian collective switched label-services partners from Warner’s Alternative Distribution Alliance to Universal Music Enterprises, and, according to one executive familiar with the band’s plans, has been working closely with Capitol in addition to longtime label Merge. Capitol has been heading up the viral marketing campaign for the album, will take the lead on radio for the album’s singles, and has been part of early pitches to retailers as well. The executive adds that Merge will still share in profits from the release, and will be the only label credited on physical copies and at digital service providers.
Diplo in the desert: Diplo made his first trek to Burning Man, the annual festival in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, just before Labor Day to do two solo sets and two with Major Lazer. “It rivals Notting Hill Carnival [London’s West Indian parade] as the wildest place we’ve played,” Diplo said a few days later, at the packed opening of his and Shane McCauley’s photography and music exhibit “Blow Your Head” at the Sonos Studio in Los Angeles on Sept. 4. “Next year you’ll see a lot of young DJs up there.”