After pulling triple duty as the Executive Vice President, General Manager, and Vice President of A&R at Bad Boy Records since 2003, Harve Pierre has been appointed as the President of the label, it was recently announced.
In his new capacity, Pierre – who started with the label in 1993 as Sean “Diddy” Combs’ assistant – will continue to report to Diddy, while overseeing the finance, creative, promotional, marketing, A&R, International and Sales divisions at the label.
“Harve’s promotion to President is well deserved,” said Combs. “He has been with Bad Boy since the beginning and has worked hard to learn all aspects of the business.”
“Harve is one of the chief architects of the Bad Boy culture,” added Warner Music Group Executive VP Kevin Liles. “[He] has done much more than work at Bad Boy Records. He lives the Brand and has helped provide the foundation that will lead Bad Boy into its next decade. His promotion reflects the dedication, consistency, and commitment he has brought to the company. “
In addition to his new responsibilities at Bad Boy Records, Pierre is also developing his own Crazy Joint imprint, which will be distributed through Bad Boy/Atlantic Records starting in May 2008.
“He has always been an important part of the A&R process and it is only fitting that Bad Boy would house his imprint, Crazy Joint,” continued Diddy. “I look forward to Harve’s continued success.”
Crazy Joint is currently home to Pop/R&B songstress Marina Chello.
Pierre’s career in the entertainment industry dates back to his days as a student at Howard University, where he met and befriended Diddy and Derrick “D-Dot” Angelettie.
In 1992, he started his professional career as an intern at Uptown Records. Since then, Pierre has served as a producer, A&R and video director, working with such artists as Mary J. Blige, SWV, Craig Mack, Outkast, and Yung Joc.
Sports
Mizzou balers suspended after brawl
Missouri coach Mike Anderson suspended five players indefinitely Tuesday after a weekend brawl left his top scorer with a broken jaw.
In a statement from the university, Anderson declined to indicate the reason for the discipline, calling the infractions a violation of team rules. But the move comes as Columbia police confirmed that several teammates were with senior guard Stefhon Hannah when he was attacked outside the downtown nightclub Athena early Sunday morning. The injury could cause Hannah to miss the rest of the season.
Hannah, who returned home to Chicago following surgery, senior guard Jason Horton and forwards Marshall Brown, Darryl Butterfield and Leo Lyons were suspended. Each is either a starter or a key reserve.
The school said their status will be determined at a later date.
Sgt. Ken Hammond, supervisor of the city’s major crimes unit, didn’t identify the players who accompanied Hannah, but noted “there were numerous other players there.”
Anderson implemented what he called a “zero-tolerance” policy after junior forward DeMarre Carroll — his nephew — was shot in the ankle outside another Columbia nightclub over the summer. Police said Carroll was a bystander trying to break up a fight.
Along with the injuries suffered by Hannah and Carroll, three other Tigers players have been involved in off-court violence or misconduct since Anderson was hired less than two years ago.
One of those was Butterfield, who was arrested on charges of third-degree domestic assault for allegedly punching an ex-girlfriend. He was suspended before the season started but was reinstated after missing one exhibition game and an intrasquad scrimmage.
Butterfield has since pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of disturbing the peace, a misdemeanor, and was given a six-month suspended sentence and two years of probation. He also was ordered to attend 20 hours of anger management classes.
Kalen Grimes, the school’s leading rebounder and starting center last season, was dismissed from the team after being arrested for hitting a man in the face with the butt of a shotgun in St. Louis in July.
And last February, reserve guard Mike Anderson Jr., the coach’s son, was suspended from the team after a drunken-driving arrest but was later reinstated.
Anderson has said the specifics of his disciplinary policy are an internal matter. But in an interview with the Columbia Daily Tribune, junior guard Matt Lawrence elaborated on the new team rules.
According to Lawrence, the team has an 11 p.m. weeknight curfew and a midnight curfew on weekends. The curfew was initially set at 9 p.m. after Carroll’s shooting but was extended at the start of the school year. Team rules also forbid players from visiting certain bars or clubs, he said.
Police said that 20 to 30 people were outside the nightclub when they arrived after the assault, but that none of the observers provided any details about the fight. Hannah told police he was hit by an unknown object by at least one person he could not identify.
The assault happened just hours after the Tigers returned from a 66-62 victory at Colorado, the team’s first road win this season. Hannah had a key steal in the final minutes to seal the win.
Hannah leads the Tigers (12-8, 2-3 Big 12) in scoring (14.7 points) and assists (5.1). A junior college transfer, he also led Missouri in scoring and assists last season.
He was released from University Hospital on Monday after successful surgery to repair his jaw.
Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report.
