LATEST WME DRAMA: SMITH SUSPENSION

Every week, it seems, another land mine goes off at WME. Last week saw negotiations with the prominent and successful Sam Kirby Yoh fall apart; she’s now headed to UTA, as you know.

Now Brent Smith, who is said to be unhappy about the new setup at WME’s music department—and particularly about being passed over for a high-level post—is being suspended. Smith’s client list includes Drake and Kendrick Lamar, so it seems unlikely that this suspension is punitive—unless those rumors of 2% commissions are true.