In light of the Kevin Gates thread & @The HONORABLE SKJ speaking GOSPEL about Money not meaning much when it comes to securing a situation in the Music Industry, I would like to share a story I was part of. Now anyone from Chicago knows recently that a video was released from an artist who no one had heard from in nearly a decade & even though FakeShoreDrive did interview the artist I realized he didn't tell the WHOLE story.
This is why it takes more then money to be successful in the Music Industry. My friend Static was a rapper from Chicago back in 2003-2004 who had a MAJOR backer (you all know what that means) & I was one of the producers on the project. His backer spent nearly $1,000,000 trying to secure a Record Deal for him & none of it meant anything because they didn't understand the importance of RELATIONSHIPS & POLITICS. I had to watch this video for years knowing the world was never going to see it until recently he put it out in desperation to re-ignite his career.
They literally recorded an entire album, shot 2 videos & arrogantly approached labels expecting to get a Million Dollar Record Deal with absolutely NOTHING to back it up other then spending money. This is what happens when you don't handle your business, aren't a likable person & have no respect for the game. He pissed off nearly every label exec & even the DJ's in Chicago stopped messing with their entire (3rd Mil Ent.) team. At one point Universal-Fontana was ALMOST willing to take a chance on him but you can't handle BUSINESS in a N!GGA way which is why you see labels like Def Jam throwing artists like August Alsina's albums in the bushes because at the end of the day these dudes forget they are PRODUCTS, nothing more, nothing less. If Epic Games couldn't make money off "Gears Of War" it would've gotten thrown in the bushes no different then an artist that no longer makes a label money.
This is one of 2 videos shot by 3rd Mil Ent. The first one we shot in Los Angeles & this one was in Chicago. The first was directed by Little X & the 2nd shot by Zodiac Fishgrease. While Static has stated that the video wasn't released because several of the girls ages were in question at the time of the shooting (around the time R. Kelly was hit with the accusations), it is NOT the full story. 3rd Mil Ent. ARROGANTLY approached labels like "We got the whole album finished, both videos shot & we're not putting them out unless you give us... 3 Mil." When Execs/A&R's asked for NUMBERS to justify signing him for anything over the standard (at the time) $500,000 deal, they had NOTHING. No radio spins, no shows, no EPK's, no PROOF of a fanbase. Just a star studded album they spent a Million on & nothing more. I had the finished album for years before it got destroyed while moving. The album had several tracks produced by Jazze Pha, Lil' Jon, R. Kelly, etc...
But money can't buy you success & 3rd Mil's attempt to strong arm their way into the game didn't work. They were all so very arrogant & cocky & were treating others as if they had already sold a million copies. I left the label's dealings around the time Static & the owner had fallen out initially as it was apparent these dudes were too street to ever handle business correctly. R.I.P. Que Storm. It was through the vision of Hula Malone & Dejion of Chicago-Based Clubhouse Music that initially got 3rd Mil on the right path (before R. Kelly entered the picture) but these dudes were so so SO arrogant & immediately screwed over anybody they didn't need anymore including myself.
It is true that you can't move around in this game without either Resources, Relationships & Finances, but RELATIONSHIPS rise above all else. The funny thing is the label ended up being a FAILURE & neither the backer nor any of the artists have real careers anymore because they're pretty much blackballed by the same people who tried to help them succeed. It is sad to see what could've been another Chicago artist succeed but life happens. I've been part of so many situations & deals with artists who were so close to being successful. I have several friends who have had Major Record Deals & none of you have ever heard of any of them because their situations went to shyt usually their own fault. This is why it's hard for me to take these artists serious when they cry about their labels when every bad dealing I've ever seen was 75% the fault of the artist or their team.
For Chicago heads... everyone from Bump J (Atlantic) to Ben One (Universal Republic) to Pheave (Motown Universal) all had situations in which they were handed the world by their Record Labels & couldn't shake their own unprofessionalism & arrogance in order to succeed. It's sad... but it's life... only rare situations like Mikkey Halsted (Cash Money) & John Blu (Jive) I can say weren't their fault but most of these street dudes mentality is their own downfall.
But let's blame the Labels...
This is why it takes more then money to be successful in the Music Industry. My friend Static was a rapper from Chicago back in 2003-2004 who had a MAJOR backer (you all know what that means) & I was one of the producers on the project. His backer spent nearly $1,000,000 trying to secure a Record Deal for him & none of it meant anything because they didn't understand the importance of RELATIONSHIPS & POLITICS. I had to watch this video for years knowing the world was never going to see it until recently he put it out in desperation to re-ignite his career.
They literally recorded an entire album, shot 2 videos & arrogantly approached labels expecting to get a Million Dollar Record Deal with absolutely NOTHING to back it up other then spending money. This is what happens when you don't handle your business, aren't a likable person & have no respect for the game. He pissed off nearly every label exec & even the DJ's in Chicago stopped messing with their entire (3rd Mil Ent.) team. At one point Universal-Fontana was ALMOST willing to take a chance on him but you can't handle BUSINESS in a N!GGA way which is why you see labels like Def Jam throwing artists like August Alsina's albums in the bushes because at the end of the day these dudes forget they are PRODUCTS, nothing more, nothing less. If Epic Games couldn't make money off "Gears Of War" it would've gotten thrown in the bushes no different then an artist that no longer makes a label money.
This is one of 2 videos shot by 3rd Mil Ent. The first one we shot in Los Angeles & this one was in Chicago. The first was directed by Little X & the 2nd shot by Zodiac Fishgrease. While Static has stated that the video wasn't released because several of the girls ages were in question at the time of the shooting (around the time R. Kelly was hit with the accusations), it is NOT the full story. 3rd Mil Ent. ARROGANTLY approached labels like "We got the whole album finished, both videos shot & we're not putting them out unless you give us... 3 Mil." When Execs/A&R's asked for NUMBERS to justify signing him for anything over the standard (at the time) $500,000 deal, they had NOTHING. No radio spins, no shows, no EPK's, no PROOF of a fanbase. Just a star studded album they spent a Million on & nothing more. I had the finished album for years before it got destroyed while moving. The album had several tracks produced by Jazze Pha, Lil' Jon, R. Kelly, etc...
But money can't buy you success & 3rd Mil's attempt to strong arm their way into the game didn't work. They were all so very arrogant & cocky & were treating others as if they had already sold a million copies. I left the label's dealings around the time Static & the owner had fallen out initially as it was apparent these dudes were too street to ever handle business correctly. R.I.P. Que Storm. It was through the vision of Hula Malone & Dejion of Chicago-Based Clubhouse Music that initially got 3rd Mil on the right path (before R. Kelly entered the picture) but these dudes were so so SO arrogant & immediately screwed over anybody they didn't need anymore including myself.
It is true that you can't move around in this game without either Resources, Relationships & Finances, but RELATIONSHIPS rise above all else. The funny thing is the label ended up being a FAILURE & neither the backer nor any of the artists have real careers anymore because they're pretty much blackballed by the same people who tried to help them succeed. It is sad to see what could've been another Chicago artist succeed but life happens. I've been part of so many situations & deals with artists who were so close to being successful. I have several friends who have had Major Record Deals & none of you have ever heard of any of them because their situations went to shyt usually their own fault. This is why it's hard for me to take these artists serious when they cry about their labels when every bad dealing I've ever seen was 75% the fault of the artist or their team.
For Chicago heads... everyone from Bump J (Atlantic) to Ben One (Universal Republic) to Pheave (Motown Universal) all had situations in which they were handed the world by their Record Labels & couldn't shake their own unprofessionalism & arrogance in order to succeed. It's sad... but it's life... only rare situations like Mikkey Halsted (Cash Money) & John Blu (Jive) I can say weren't their fault but most of these street dudes mentality is their own downfall.
But let's blame the Labels...
or 
?
