According to Billboard Magazine, Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Records laid off several executives at a senior-level.
Those who have lost their job include Azim Rashid, senior vice president of promotions, Orlando McGhee, senior vice president of A&R, Gita Williams marketing executive, and Fairley McCaskill, senior director of publicity.
In March 2019, Benny Pough, Roc Nation’s label president left his post after 18 months in the position.
Roc Nation Record’s roster includes J.Cole, Rihanna, Rapsody, Vic Mensa, and Belly. Upcoming artists Angelica Vila and Nicole Bus are also signed.
The layoffs come after Jay-Z, and Roc Nation Sports were sued by Daniel Franco, a boxer who signed with the company in 2015 and blames the sports franchise for brain injuries he sustained after fighting three times within 79 days.
Franco alleges he became sick before a fight that was scheduled for March 23, 2017, and asked to have it canceled or postponed. Roc Nation Sports refused and made the boxer fight.
Franco took a hard loss in the third round. He says he needed time to recover, but Roc Nation Sports booked him on May 12 for another fight.
The boxer says he sustained bleeding on his brain and two skull fractures before the May 12 fight. Despite his injuries, he stepped into the ring and claimed he suffered more damage to his brain during that fight.
Franco says the doctors diagnosed him with a brain hemorrhage and became comatose. To relieve pressure on his brain, doctors removed part of his skull.
Franco remained in a coma for two weeks and claimed he has cognitive and neurological issues and has to wear a helmet.
The boxer is claiming Roc Nation Sports did not ensure he was medically fit before putting him in the ring.
Written by Barbara Sobel
Sources:
Billboard: Roc Nation Records Hit With Layoffs
Vibe: Former Boxer Sues Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Over Severe Brain Damage
TMZ: Jay-Z Sued By Roc Nation Boxer Over Severe Brain Injuries
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Michael Whitney’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
