The Sad Truth About Record Labels 

itkda

It’s an industry with a few major players just like any other industry the term is oligarchy.

Better to be independent or be in independent label

Not Empire

so it’s kinda like they got a monopoly goin on?

YIKES

RileyTaugor yo wtf

Yeah, it's ridiculous. All the man is asking for is, give me better cuts. Its literally slavery, like yeah it's a lot of money but, wtf they working the man and giving him pennies for every dollar. Fucked up.

Lucid Dreamer the record label, promoting and music production are 100% of the reason he is popular so why don’t they deserve 80%? hell they deserve even more in my eyes were not talking Eminem Cole Kendrick we’re talking somebody who is were he is because of his backing tracks and promotion I’d be happy to get 20% of his money by putting in 0 effort and having no talent

EtnoD #LLJ well you clearly know how business and promotion works...

You need to get to the root tho, it’s not the labels who stated this, 13 year old white boys who have meme accounts are controlling what’s hip hop and what’s not hip hop, cuz they make memes of the”latest rappers” and then all these lil kids then start to believe this is what hip hop is, then the record labels catch on to this and now exploits this

Misha R. 🎯

This is why Jay-z was able to strong arm the game when he dropped reasonable doubt in 96. He had an estimated net worth between 80-250k was able to promote himself, buy material and tour without having to cut a label in on his money. By the time he signed he demonstrated he didn't really need them and got amazing deals ever since.

Esharido Well said, in shorter words, he had leverage.

de132 great advice

Nah i see money i go dumb.

nigga just wanted to say fiduciary

Like which artists

Lil yachty

Dont dis yachty bro😒

Straight FACTS!!!

Glo cardi b

Or Quality Control

@@haydencassinelli still early tho but they seem like real ones

isiah rashaad is having a problem over his contract right now with TDE.

M S for real that’s a shame.

Unless they keepin them from talkin and makin it public

and they are not going about this for the same reasons writers want to get their contracts from harper collins , barnes and noble et all. let's face it most of us we don't have those managerial skills, we don't know the intricacies of global shipping and distribution and advertising and how many of us are aware of royalties structures ?

That’s why knowing thyself is so important.

Independent till the day I die

Rilo Robinson right

Amiri I watch your videos. Keep grinding brotha 🙏🏽

How they can read but most of there iq is low

@@monzermerghani9686 that's what a lawyer is for to do the hard work for you. Ask questions along the way just to know different verbage

Or get a good lawyer.

What type of lawyer does not want an artist to sign ASAP, so they can get their money, Most lawyer are not on the side of the Artist, especially if the artist refuse to sign, they will do what ever it takes to get the artist to sign the contract and bill the Sucker later for a huge payday, when the artist starts making little money.

@@jason4275 most lawyers want they client to get the most out of the contract so that their commission and take home is the most possible because they only get maybe 10%. of what the artist gets.

That does not mean you sell your soul... what is wrong with you gullible twats

Doesn’t mean ur gonna become a rapper lmfao stop worrying

For anyone selling your soul is a expression. So you illuminati niggas need to hop off. Read the contracts or have a attorney dumb it down to you.

@@mortisedthegamer778 All the rappers have attourneys and lawyers you cant sign the contract by yourself. However ur lawyer is telling u to sign so they can get their pwrcentage

@@IOG2K Its true, stupid. When they sign the contract, they are technically signing over their soul, Regardless....they have to sell their soul in exchange for the fame and riches they so desire.

Makes me wonder what happened to other great artists like fetty.. what are they doing rn

good

@@1smokee1xxx55 stfu

Fetty is microwaved dogshit

exactly!

How do you know this?

@@joeydaboss1001 did you watch the video?

@@jasperjarzombek ong

Not me I'll do what I love its better than working a 9 to 5

facts man he just wants to release music and it sucks that these labels control fucking everything, I make music too bro just dropped my first music video on my channel not too long ago if you could give it a watch that would mean a lot to me 🙏🏽

Hopeless Romantic how long is his contract?

Cole Brown ok first of all the label pay producers very little the advances to rappers are typically to pay for a producer so shut yo face and let him like what he likes

You've got TERRIBLE taste in music.ijs

@@featherstonecraig9 yup that part

Kaizen Kings I’ll take a medium please 🤣💵

Large for me my nigga

ill take chedder

gimme a extra large popcorn with extra butter on it, and a large sprite

Get me a large one with a soda

Cole Brown calm down

Cole Brown you don’t sound like a dumbass, you are a dumbass

cole brown about to have a mf heart attack damn

It allready has, Bones is an independent rapper who gets million views minimum every video ( One video has over 30million views ). He does shows in fucking europe and America which is crazy. Also Aj tracey the uk rapper

FACTS!

Raymond Spicer whats wrong w u niggas and all caps calm the fuck down

@@PakiiiBux I fuck with Bones and sesh but that ain't shit tbh. They making good money and they're real for building an authentic fanbase but if they want to take it to the next level they need to sign to a label. They're going to stagnate and fall off without it. It sucks but theyre not a good example of that changing.

A freaking men🙌🙌🙌

Railway Runners and a contract that will impact your life is completely different

TENSION thats what spitta does

21 with a label

*21* is a industry plant. He was already signed to Epic Records before he came to the U.S nice try though.

THEKING he only in DISTRIBUTION look it up, and he came here @ 7, in like 2000

@@sdfghjklsdfghjklosdfgbhnjm57217

itsjoepro can you tell me what happened?

They really tried to kill Wayne, I’ll never forget that

OzzieMac thug didn’t.

Thug didn’t.

OzzieMac young thug just had someone try to kill him...coincidence 🤐🤭🤔

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Wow someone actually said it

Mo Preme Same Model as a pyrimind scheme

It's a vicious cycle

Don cannon made some good beats

Ain't nobody's fault lil uzi ain't read his contract before signing smh stupid ass boy

But they didn't sign a contract to them smh

Don and Drama don't even like Don and Drama

this nigga said “everyone” lmaoo speak for yourself

Oh yea. That would be good, but we know the said #truth is that #REAL #hiphop is dead

Baraqua Amina Levy Belle Khan why

What he do?

Esharido has always wanted yourmind

@@tmgjunior8458 search a video by Trap Lore Ross how frank finessed 20 million from universal

That's how Ashanti and Mya makes their money. Touring overseas . And releasing indie albums

So do it all yourself, till you hit dat low level millions cap. N pursue on signing. Which makes you hold all the cards at these meetings. Just logic thinkin really.

Gil Scot Heron oh 100% I know one big thing is they get them outta desperation, not everyone can turn down 100K especially when they don’t even understand these contractual terms and agreements They’re signing to. But either way you’ve seen artists that walked away instead of signing and it slowed them down, “they” don’t beg you, if you turn it down they say ok cool we’ll find a better “you” ANY day. This enters a whole other realm where the issue isn’t taking the money the issue is what they say you have to do as part of selling your soul, and that it never ends well. Iconic Legends don’t die super old especially if their career is declining (no more world tours, or like how some rock bands from the 70s will still be touring) “they” kill you so that the label can profit off all your music that WILL increase in sales. They killed Whitney 2 days before Valentine’s Day, Whitney being known for her love ballads, but the drugs and everything by now had ruined a potential comeback...minutes after pronounced dead iTunes, etc doubled the price of her catalogue (this was a bit before stream services had taken over so it was still where you either pirate your music or You pay per song/album. Anyways labels suck cause they can make you RICHHHH if you’re talented enough to survive like Drake to where he’s so rich label cuts don’t really screw him over, but then once you get TOO big they view it as a problem depending what you’re using your platform for

Lance Lorenzo Knowlegde beats everything, even if you r desperate. Lets say you r an upcomin artist now 22 somethin. Lets say you happen to every now n then, from the age of 13 read an article.( xxl, rapradar, etc) From of 13 till your 22, you’ve seen n heard about events on artist being hustled. Wouldn’t your mind begin to grasp at the situation. N beginning to see the snakes on the grass n startin to manouvre differently.

Gil Scot Heron funny you say that because I am a 22 year old artist, but I live in Ottawa in Canada, I’ve done what you suggested like I’ve read into this industry stuff since before I wanted to make music always looking up Illuminati and stories of how labels screwed ppl over from Milli Vanilli all the way to what we’re hearing about De La Soul and Tommy Boy records.. So right now I move independent because I know in the best case (cause I’m not focused on the money, just having fun tryna improve myself with every song I make) thru social media promo and the internet being as globally connected as it is, if I even was able to make 5,000$ off my music I’d then put it into all the other creative passions I have, I model, I taught myself how to DJ and through nepotism just have to prove I know what I’m doing and I get a club gig like THAT. I’d do it for free even at first just to get a rush off dropping that song the crowd wanted to hear ahah. But I wouldn’t be the one looking for label help because I’d have the mindset to then profit off the 3 or 4 passions that I’m insanely into you know ? I do that now on a smaller scale in my city. I make music, I edit videos, I directed a few videos here, have a camera team, and even when I go to clubs sometimes I’m the one recommending the DJ what they should play next based on the mix... so lucky for us I think im woke on this matter but that’s the thing, just like u heard blueface he didn’t care about his contract because he probably heard the money and instantly was down and that’s crazy

💯💯💯💯💯

Independent

I'd rather stay independent than sign a label

Shamar Woodberry but labels are the goat of getting you the best exposure you need! That’s the side part they pay for everything to get your face out there they make you a product they invest in you . They pay for Music videos and tours etc obviously for a percentage. So that’s the bittersweet part of all this... either you struggle as an independent or get signed and make it faster but your money and your creativity is limited 🥺

Heavy Metal Kendra big facts it all about finding the right deal

I thought he was on Young Thug's YSL

SYR TV dressing fly isn’t weird ass clothes😭 he just a fly young nigga getting checks

He's actually signed to Alamo Records (Gucci Mane)

Either way being independent got its perks as long as u maintain n stay consistent

But he ass

fax

Lawyers are a thing

Pretty much

Yes

Dylan Dilman it’s not JUST clout cobain , its first black balloons, where the record label executive is sweet talking denzel into signing, when he does, the executive is doing shit to make denzel happy. then all of a sudden he’s in that jail cell, and then it transitions to clout cobain, where he is getting treated like a slave and doesnt have any rights to his music, that’s when he kills himself and all that. and then it’s vengeance, where he gets revenge on the executive

facts

Timid pussy

I hope so

exactly , plus i didn't know that for video clips, from the first dress down to the lipstick and extras, all of it comes out of the artist's pockets, even what extras are wearing. no wonder artists go broke every day.

I.m with distrok i.m going on Spotify

Lechiffresix six i might just give up might dreams of becoming singer and doing youtube

jason4275 Streaming and downloads distribution: Distrokid, Tunecore, etc If mfs want to sell CDs, CD distribution: CD baby, bandcamp, etc Edit that bs again. Because independent mfs do not need anything from a label besides $$$$ and resources behind marketing and promotion. Which is necessary to create awareness. If an independent mf can come up with the $$$$ to create some good marketing and promotion, they can do the ish on their own.

Plus all the money you need UPFRONT. Buying and selling, distribution, hiring a legal team, staff, security, all the booking yourself. There's so much to do. That's so much money up front. Venues supply the staff but you still pay upfront for the services. Labels take care of all of this for you. Anyone can rap and make music. Learning all of this BUSINESS shit is like a second job. You don't just learn it overnight. I work in Sales and I'm always learning new tips, laws, etc.. everyday. People change, music changes. You constantly need to be researching on how to sell yourself to the market, etc.. Again, labels do this for you. They have the connections and resources to get you out there. Being Independent sounds great but touring on top of doing EVERYTHING is probably a heavy fucking load most people don't want. The average person hates working a damn 9-5 with 2 day weekends. Imagine working 12+ hours EVERYDAY with no days off. A label at least lets you breathe from time to time while doing all the heavy lifting. Being Independent you need business partners and endorsements. This brings on a whole new set of problems. Look at how many companies and groups split up from someone doing shady shit or stealing, etc. No huge business continues on without working with others. Again, Labels handle all contracts and legal issues that comes with working with others. Being a solo artists sounds like a hot mess if you ask me.

You're right , but without label it's hard to do everything by yourself and only those who can do , who have a real fan following who's ready to buy there songs and other things like promotion it's hard.

Starting a record company is easy, but Promotions and Distribution is what most artist don't have and no amount of money can buy that types of connections, you have to hire professions to get you're work out there.

A lot more independent artists these days. Problem is most ain't as big as they could be with a major label which sucks, they're definitely making money though

No especially with the internet around

Ppl go to labels so they can get into mass retailers and so they can get that recognition of ppl taking them serious. And plus that advance checkb

so true

Thanks man!

I thought it was 2014

You right 2016

Who

Mark Z U C C stop that!!!

The dude wasn't even slick about it, lmao. He was proper like "Hey guys I'm Bart and I exploit artists, for Satan👌" 😂

Tech n9ne is a real one

But they don't. Labels sometimes get 80-90%

That was a "publicity stunt" with one dude doing the time. Them two laughed all the way to the bank while ol dude cried all the way to his cell. Shit is sad.

"I'm fuckin dope an this is my reward? That's wacker than the 500$ you signed me for" imagine

He should be mad at himself who tf would take a 500 dollar record deal

Dubsfor20 🤣

Labels have been greedy for decades. Still sad tho.

It depends on the DJ tho it's not totally impossible

Wet vegetables lol what

Wet vegetables nice name lol

For the same reasons you would sign to a label