If you were a new artist, with no money, would you sign this contract?
- Thread starter FreshAIG
- Start date
No money meaning that I would need to maintain a full time job and be an artist full time at the same time, invest most of my money on my career and hopefully make some money of it. Or as for many cases, building up my rep to get an even better deal or a great indie deal.
A lot of people just thinking that they're Tech N9ne or Chance the rapper off the bat
There's too many different factors that could affect what I would choose, just a few
Age: am I a kid living at home or am I late 20s, early 30s with a job a fixed costs
Job: what type of job do I have, and how much more do I wanna be an artist than do that job
Contacts: do I know certain people in the industry, such as a potential super manager or someone who can put my in such circles, do I know promoters
Team/friends: Are there people in my circle of who are aiming to breakthrough as well in different ways, musicians, engineers, beat makers etc.
And I could go on but you get the point
A lot of people just thinking that they're Tech N9ne or Chance the rapper off the bat
There's too many different factors that could affect what I would choose, just a few
Age: am I a kid living at home or am I late 20s, early 30s with a job a fixed costs
Job: what type of job do I have, and how much more do I wanna be an artist than do that job
Contacts: do I know certain people in the industry, such as a potential super manager or someone who can put my in such circles, do I know promoters
Team/friends: Are there people in my circle of who are aiming to breakthrough as well in different ways, musicians, engineers, beat makers etc.
And I could go on but you get the point
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Nope.
owning your masters and taking 20 percent cut off of everything ruins it for me.
owning your masters and taking 20 percent cut off of everything ruins it for me.
No, they own your name, too. Why do think rappers change their stage names, release stuff under aliases, etc.?
What is lost is opportunity to profit off your talent. If you signed this, flopped, and was in debt to the label for 300K, then, let's say, a year later, you come up with some CRAZY song, some life changing shyt. Thanks to that contract:
- You can't put it out unless the label signs off. They take AT LEAST the first 300K it generates, still owns the masters (publishing wasn't mentioned, but these 2 determine how much money the song generates for you over time, but under this type of deal, you probably don't own 100%, if any ). Put it out yourself, lawyers eat you alive, and you may end up worse in debt. They can also take your song if in the contract, or blackmail it off you. Or the song sits on a hard drive instead of changing ypur life.
- You try to sell the song. Lil' Young Boy's label buys it for him to release. If your name is on it (how you get any money beyond the up front), the label swoops in, takes that 300K, plus percentage, and possibly still sues you.
- You become a podcaster and you catch on. Barstool wants to sign you and blow you up like Gillie. Label can block it, or, again, they sue you and/or take the 300, and a percentage. Acting, same thing. Write a movie script, same thing. Sell an idea for a TV show, same thing.
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All of this based on you becoming successful after flopping on said label. They still profit because you're still under contract. By BRAND, I meant everything attached to the artist including name and logo and everything associated with the name and logo. Of course, you can't profit off of it because you're still SIGNED.
I pretty much already stated that.
This is regular but buzzing artists signing to a major label like Atlantic usually get $1M+ upfront
My point is, they usually keep the rights to your likeness, and that IP, so they do own you, as far as entertainment. Again, what is (or can be) lost is your opportunity. If your calling was to make music or be in the music/entertainment business, this type of contract can stop you from doing that FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
$250K with no payback is a big deal.
Con is, they own a lot of U.
Pro is, since they own a lot of U they will be willing to give you a bigger push.
*I would try to bring it down to 3 albums, w/ $50K added to the $250K for each album they dont wanna budge on beyond 3.
You gotta think, they see something in you to offer this deal and this 1st offer is likely what they would consider an 100% win for them. Youre prolly not gonna get a deal thats an 100% win for you, but you can get the odds more in your favor.
Con is, they own a lot of U.
Pro is, since they own a lot of U they will be willing to give you a bigger push.
*I would try to bring it down to 3 albums, w/ $50K added to the $250K for each album they dont wanna budge on beyond 3.
You gotta think, they see something in you to offer this deal and this 1st offer is likely what they would consider an 100% win for them. Youre prolly not gonna get a deal thats an 100% win for you, but you can get the odds more in your favor.
Iono, breh. 250 is a tax write off, and nowadays, labels don't really do much. An established artist probably has a studio setup already, has social media presence, which is 75% of the work in 2020. The label can con you onto the radio, but is that worth them being in your pocket forever? If you're pop or some bubblegum rap, maybe, but for a regular rap nikka?
iseetrolledpeople
A silent witness to all this trolling going on.
Depends on my skills.
If I really know how to write a song and have some notions of beat making, mixing etc. I'd take my chances and go indie.
If my writing game is shabby, and my raps are trend hoping, I'd sign that deal and hope for the best.
Trot LaRoc
Superstar
It's best to build your brand as much as possible b4 reaching out to a major.
Leverage is key. Labels are lazy nowadays and honestly dont do a ton of legwork to push artists. They will help you get on the press junket, stuff like Sway/Breakfast Club. They expect artists to use their social media to do a lot of the promo work
Honestly what is a desperate situation...lot of dudes been broke the whole.life. unless you about to be living on the street, have patience and keep building
If I have a solid mgmt team with a legit gameplan, ima hold out instead of taking 1st offer
Having a label in your pocket comes back to bite artists all the time
Leverage is key. Labels are lazy nowadays and honestly dont do a ton of legwork to push artists. They will help you get on the press junket, stuff like Sway/Breakfast Club. They expect artists to use their social media to do a lot of the promo work
Honestly what is a desperate situation...lot of dudes been broke the whole.life. unless you about to be living on the street, have patience and keep building
If I have a solid mgmt team with a legit gameplan, ima hold out instead of taking 1st offer
Having a label in your pocket comes back to bite artists all the time
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Trot LaRoc
Superstar
Also an artist who can get 2500/show def has interest....that's not a piddling amount. We get too blinded by the overwhelming successes
90% of artists struggle to.get the point of even making $500
Maybe you wont be getting 3 shows a week but it's not a reach to think you could book 5-6 a month in a 5 hr radius which again is enough to live on with a lil supplemental income
90% of artists struggle to.get the point of even making $500
Maybe you wont be getting 3 shows a week but it's not a reach to think you could book 5-6 a month in a 5 hr radius which again is enough to live on with a lil supplemental income
The reason it's seen as so low is because 1) You pay your expenses out of pocket and 2) It's hard to project the rapper image necessary to gain interest in 2020 when you're only netting probably $90-100K.
Trot LaRoc
Superstar
A lot of expenses are being overblown imo
Travel and food costs arent that high for local/regional shows. You dont need a huge tour bus for these kinda shows.
You can rent jewelry if you need to stunt for press photos, same goes for cars.
Taxes and mgmt costs are the highest expense imo
You dont need a fancy studio anymore. You can rent one with a solid engineer for $40 to $50/he in most cities. There are radio hits recorded on laptops all the time
Griselda records in whatever room is handy lol. I've seen pics/videos of them recording in kitchens, wherever.
