Since requesting and being granted a release from The Inc, R&B singer Lloyd has been relatively quiet… until now. In an exclusive interview with music veteran and screenwriter (Pastor Brown) Rhonda Baraka, he explained the reasons behind his departure. He noted that, as a young talent – only 20 years old – in the music industry, he noticed several major issues with the once very powerful label.

He was, however, shunned by music veteran Irv Gotti, even as he was instrumental in helping provide an avenue for a Universal Records distribution deal with his hit single “You.”

“There were times when I felt like I was the only one that was dedicated,” Lloyd disclosed. “I’d look around and there was no one else making music. There was no supporting cast. I would go to the studio and there would be no beats in the computer… only beats from a year ago – very outdated sounding material. Here I am with my hands dirty, trying to buld this rubble of a label into something again.”

He goes on to call the New York native “out of touch” in the second part of the interview when prompted to respond to Gotti’s claims that he was not talented.

“My blessing is that God has given me a gift, not Irv,” Lloyd allowed. “And with that said, I can go make more music tonight and it may change your perspective on what he said about me.”

The days just seem to get brighter and brighter for former Murder Inc. employees and drearier and drearier for Irv Gotti. First he goes Al Davis on Ashanti, then Lloyd bounces to seek out new options. Newz says he’ll go back to the streets ’cause he sees things going downhill and now… drumroll please! Ashanti accepts the “demotion” and raises him a dazzling performance on Broadway.

This dude just can’t win for losing… But hey, there’s always Ja Rule. NOT!!

Since going on MTV News to announce he was severing ties with Ashanti,  indicating they’re relationship had run its course, Murder Inc. impresario Irv Gotti, has lost more talent out of his dwindling stable of artists.

R&B crooner Lloyd is now separating himself from the Inc., effective immediately.

“I’m ready for a change,” says Lloyd. “There’s no bad blood. I just feel I need to take more control over my career and get a fresh start. Hopefully Irv can understand my position.”

Freedom it seems, was the deciding factor for Lloyd, who is currently working on an untitled fourth album. In the meantime, the R&B crooner is readying a mixtape with some heavy hitting producers not named Irv Gotti.

“We have plans to get in the studio with Jim Jonsin, The Runners, Cool & Dre, Rodney Jerkins and others,” he says. “In the future, I still hope to work with Irv as a producer as well.”

Gotti and The Inc. ended its three year joint venture with Universal and have yet to partner with another major label.

Henry “Noonie” Lee, Lloyd’s manager, spoke to the idea of growing from the experience with The Inc. while seeking out other options.

“We find ourselves in limbo for the second time in three years,” he said. “It’s frustrating to know that opportunities to advance Lloyd’s career are out there but we can’t exploit them due to our current situation.

“Even though Lloyd is appreciative of the opportunity that has been afforded him by The Inc., he feels it’s time for him to move on and seek opportunities that will allow him to build and enhance his brand.”

U mad?

After taking in VIBE’s issue that proclaimed Eminem as the greatest rapper alive, Irv Gotti felt the need to go against the grain. In a brief interview with MTV, the Murder Inc (The Inc?) impresario made it his business to dismiss the rapper’s street credibility. He does note Em’s ability to deliver a good rhyme, but allows he would not have made it as a rapper on the streets of NY.

“No disrespect, you’re a great lyricist, but I come from a school — I know they ‘battled’ in 8 Mile — but I come from where they battled on the streets with guns out,” the head of Murder Inc. said. “They would have put you under pressure. All that ‘off the top,’ they would have put you under pressure. I been to battles with X, Jay and Ja, that was some real shit. Homie, you wouldn’t been able to survive…”

Irv cements his point by drawing a parallel to the respective routes he and Jay Z have taken to rap glory.

“I look at the singles he put out. They’re all good, but they only work for him,” Irv said. “I say take Eminem, and let him say ‘Hard Knock Life.’ Still hot. Now let’s have Jay-Z say the ‘We Made You’ song. They would laugh him out the fucking building. It would be over.”

As he embarks on a comeback campaign to reclaim the glory days of The Inc. (formerly Murder Inc.), Irv Gotti’s first order of business is to drop R&B songstress Ashanti. During an interview with MTV News (below), Gotti expressed concern with album sales from last year’s The Declaration and noted frustration with their inability to conceptualize as they have in the past.

“The relationship has run its course,” Gotti explained during the interview. “The chemistry of what’s needed — we’re in two totally different places. You’re talking to somebody that took her and shaped and molded her and put her out there for the world, and it blew up. We [hold the record] for the [fastest] selling debut by a female R&B artist — 503 [thousand]. We did it! My views and philosophies and her views and philosophies are not meeting up.”

Ashanti’s apparent efforts to evolve from the formula that made her a household name ultimately led to her demise and as Gotti sees it, there is no formidable future for her as a platinum selling artist.

“I don’t think she can win. She needs some guidance with that,” Gotti offered coldly. “But she’s not thinking like that. Really, I couldn’t tell you what she’s thinking. So that relationship has run its course and honestly, I’m gonna just drop her.”

Even in troubling times Gotti has worked to hold onto the rights of his artists, Ashanti, Lloyd and Ja Rule included. The Mirror, Ja Rule’s forthcoming solo release, is said to be near finished as Gotti hopes to recover from the doldrums with a classic album.