Quit playing games

Around the world in music, tv, books and  more - By RIMA ALHADDAD

MUSIC and crime documentary Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam is set to release on Netflix on Wednesday, July 24.

Viewers will learn about Lou Pearlman, the mastermind behind famous 90’s boy groups NSYNC and Backstreet Boys, among others, and the accusations against him.

Lou’s entertainment industry career started when the American businessman launched a record label, following his fascination with pop and R&B boy band New Kids on the Block’s success, resulting in forming the Backstreet Boys in 1993 as the label’s first band from a $3-million talent search. It was said that the ads he placed expressed a desire to compose a vocal group with a New Kids on the Block look and a Boyz II Men sound.

Following the major success of the Backstreet Boys, the talent manager was introduced to NSYNC a year later, and managed them alongside former New Kids on the Block manager Johnny Wright and his wife, resulting in another successful boyband being taken to stardom under Lou’s wings.

However, Backstreet Boys were the first to file a lawsuit against the music mogul in 1998 for their dissatisfaction with the contract, after the artists only received $300,000 for all of their work over the preceding four years while Pearlman allegedly took in $10m. Later, the members of NSYNC followed suit for similar reasons.

In 2006, Lou was accused of running one of the longest Ponzi schemes, in which investors are tricked into paying for and profiting off non-existent business activities.

A year later, he pled guilty to conspiracy, money laundering, and making false statements during bankruptcy proceedings that took place the same year.

In 2016, the scam artist passed away in federal custody from cardiac arrest. NSYNC’s Justin Timberlake was among the public figures that reacted to the news. He shared his condolences on social media, hoping that the talent manager ‘found some peace’.