If you were a new artist, with no money, would you sign this contract?

[Starburst]

Once I saw Atlantic it became a no. They’re probably the worse major label. Plus mixtapes or collabs don’t count.

2500 a show isn’t bad for an artist with a lil buzz.

if you can pump out two or more a month plus have a day job you’ll be Good

As a side note, and I say this respectfully, ive often wondered how some of the people working there got their jobs.

 

[King Poetic]

Stay Indie

hell if I’m doing shows like tech nine throughout the year as a independent I’m good

Do shows and released 4 to 5 mixtapes every year I’m good

12 shows a month at $2500 a pop is $30000 dollars

 

[Shadow King]

I know the Coli believes artists should be able to sign to deal and keep 100% of everything but that's not how it works. Keeping 80% is decent.

That's being said, I wouldn't sign this because
1) It's Atlantic who has a history of little to no integrity with hip-hop
2) They own 100% of my masters
3) There's no reason to sign for anything longer than 4 albums.

 

[Shadow King]

The knowledge is important, but moreso also the leverage... if you’re able to able to gain any real momentum independently, at some point you get to where this hypothetical deal ain’t your only option and it’s way easier to turn it down...they from the jump you can walk in there demand more than that $250k (by no means an industry expert, but that just sounds like a laughably low amount for what they’d be giving up) and scoff at that six album term without “take it or leave it” being a hammer in negotiations

250K is low but still reasonable for a new artist today. 20 years ago when rap was a money pool a big artist or new subject of a bidding war was getting advances of $1.5-2M. Artists with less buzz maybe a round 1M. So today with actual sales being almost non-existent and everything coming in on the back end, very very few new artists are getting a mill out the gate.

Especially in this age...you can just be fukking around and record something and put it up on youtube or sumn and somebody of importance may randomly come across it...or a bunch of people will bump into it and like it and it will get to the person of importance that way. It's stupid to give up on a dream like that in this era where it's so easy to get your stuff out there.

This only matters if you're making music in the style people want to hear.

I think in a situation like this you would have to take that deal and gamble. You will have a machine behind you and the OP didn’t even mention the budget. They are literally paying you 250k just to sign. Yea six albums is a lot. And you can always renegotiate if you blow up. You might never have hits to the point where owning your own masters maters anyway

The 250K comes across as a signing bonus because you don't have to pay it back but realistically it's still the advance/budget, at least for recording the album.

 

[Marlo Barksdale]

Terrible contract. Taxes and fees gonna eat up that $250k. And think about how long it has taken for any artist you can think of to release 6 albums.

Negotiating out of desperation usually means you get the worse end of the deal.

 

[Dave24]

Yes I do. If anything, now is a good time. Based on album and single sales, consumers are still buying music. If an upcoming artist has a good song, and manages to promote themselves and get a buzz going, why not?

I’m trying to get my foot in the door at a particular company behind the scenes. While I believe it’s difficult now with a lot of people being furlonged, I don’t believe it’s impossible.

Besides... I like to speak things into existence. This in my opinion is very powerful.

@Starburst any advice on how I can get in the music business like you? I am 34 years old and will be 35 in October. I live in Americus, Georgia and work a minimum wage job. I have a two year degree in Business Management and 65,000 in student loan debt.

I took singing lessons several months ago but I realized I didn't really have any talent for it.

Am I too late to the game in making it in the music business in another capacity besides singer? Are you trying to make it on the business side of things or are you trying to make it as a musician?

 

[Big Boss]

I used to be an up and coming rapper, honestly, I'd have signed a deal like this in a heartbeat. nikkas saying no probably dont know how it feels being underground for years and not making any proper noise or money

This music shyt is luck. Almost a 98% chance that you fail at it

Facts

 

[Starburst]

@Starburst any advice on how I can get in the music business like you? I am 34 years old and will be 35 in October. I live in Americus, Georgia and work a minimum wage job. I have a two year degree in Business Management and 65,000 in student loan debt.

I took singing lessons several months ago but I realized I didn't really have any talent for it.

Am I too late to the game in making it in the music business in another capacity besides singer? Are you trying to make it on the business side of things or are you trying to make it as a musician?

The business side.

From what I’ve seen a lot of people got jobs through word of mouth, or from people they know. It’s tough to get into, but in my opinion not impossible. Nothing is impossible.

I was having this conversation with someone who said I should intern. This is probably going to be my last resort if none of my other efforts pan out. Doing research I noticed that ALOT of major and indie labels want interns...it’s cheap labor, and you are probably competing with 19/20 year olds but it gets your toes in the door.


If you haven’t already, you need to identify what strong skills you can offer. Once you’ve done that, target some of the newer artists. If marketing and PR is your expertise, offer your services as a social media person, or some kind of marketing street team rep for free for a short time, so they can see how you work.

If you want to go into A&R, I found several positions (including some in your state) that wanted to pay me $10/hr which is a sacrifice to get experience on the resume, but that’s not my avenue.

Is Hiphop the only genre of music you are interested in? What about trying to get in through some of the other genres?


Anyone with advice for us, please chime in!

 

[ThirdAct]

It would depend on how popping off I am. I already got a quickly growing fanbase? Probably not - or I'd at least try to renegotiate the deal, tell them I got other offers, etc. If no one knows who I am? I'd sign.

 

[Dave24]

The business side.

From what I’ve seen a lot of people got jobs through word of mouth, or from people they know. It’s tough to get into, but in my opinion not impossible. Nothing is impossible.

I was having this conversation with someone who said I should intern. This is probably going to be my last resort if none of my other efforts pan out. Doing research I noticed that ALOT of major and indie labels want interns...it’s cheap labor, and you are probably competing with 19/20 year olds but it gets your toes in the door.


If you haven’t already, you need to identify what strong skills you can offer. Once you’ve done that, target some of the newer artists. If marketing and PR is your expertise, offer your services as a social media person, or some kind of marketing street team rep for free for a short time, so they can see how you work.

If you want to go into A&R, I found several positions (including some in your state) that wanted to pay me $10/hr which is a sacrifice to get experience on the resume, but that’s not my avenue.

Is Hiphop the only genre of music you are interested in? What about trying to get in through some of the other genres?


Anyone with advice for us, please chime in!

Thanks breh and good luck on your journey!

 

[BmoreGorilla]

The artist might not have to physically pay the money back, but In my opinion they is nothing for free, and that signing money will be recouped by the label some how.

Yea the nothing is free which is why they got the masters and a % of the earnings

 

[num123]

Exactly

it’s easy to say stay indie and I see a lot of people get on artists for signing bad deals. But if you’re still struggling and someone offers you that, it’s hard to turn down. Especially the upfront money. That’s life changing to the average person.

Get a job on the side or a full time one to pay the bills, not sure why that is so hard to do.

 

[FreshAIG]

Get a job on the side or a full time one to pay the bills, not sure why that is so hard to do.

Depending on what kinda artist you are, it's an image thing. Even if you are struggling, most artists want the image they doing well. It depends on the image you're portraying. If you some shooter/bang bang rapper then nikkas catch you working at Starbucks, it could hurt you.

If you don't have an image you're trying to maintain then yeah, that's different.

 

[Dave24]

Get a job on the side or a full time one to pay the bills, not sure why that is so hard to do.

What types of part time or full time jobs would you recommend?

 

[Yagirlcheatinonus]

Taxes going to eat up that 250