It's widely known that sex is a large part of the music industry and woman are more subjected to it's negativity than men . Of course we would love for our woman to make it to the top without trading sexual favors in order to do so, but in the real world how realistic is this notion? Can women really rise above this unofficial requirement for success in the music business, especially in a business run by men?
I would love to hear what you all think of them matter and if you have any suggestions please feel free to comment!
I would love to hear what you all think of them matter and if you have any suggestions please feel free to comment!
A 360 deal in short is a deal where basically a record company gets a piece of all aspects having to with the artist. This usually includes, movie deals, merchandise, endorsements, sponsorships, touring, publishing, and of course record sales. There's an ongoing debate whether or not the 360 deal is fair to artist and each side has some valid points. Most importantly the 360 deal could ultimately destroy the Major Record industry as it is known today as many artist are now doing a 180 when it comes to major deals. This could or could not effect your goals as an artist, it truly depends on what you want to gain or lose, as it goes.
I understand that after a major record company pours in large amounts of money into an artist that in return produces an album with minimum sales, they would want to recoup their money back. Especially if the artist wasn't famous before the record company it makes sense that they receive some of the pie. Because the artist was nothing until the majors right?
Technically the way I look at it, majors shouldn't be rewarded for something that's technically half their fault. I mean if they're in control of promotions and making sure the artist sells, then why aren't they selling?
For example the new Redman and Method Man album "Blackout 2" is an amazing album. Many people have been waiting for a reunion since the release of "Blackout" in 1999. The first "Blackout" album received so much hype it went platinum in January of 2000, just four months after being released in September of 1999. The "Blackout 2" album sold 148,000 copies by September of 2009 after being released in May of 2009. Four months later and not even a quarter million sold compared to the duos first album. So who's really at fault here?
Record companies already take a large sum out of records sales, so artist have to find other avenues to make money to cover advances and other fees that accompany their careers and lifestyles. That's when you get endorsements,commercials,touring and the likes. I would say on behalf of the artist that finding multiple streams of income is a financial duty and a smart business move; so is it right that now the major labels want to cash in on your smart moves because they failed? It doesn't sound like a fair deal to me and it also sounds like a short term way to deal with declining record sales instead of the corporation looking to find the long term solution. Instead of revamping the music industry they panicked and asked for a bailout.
Today many artist are looking for other avenues to become successful music stars and needless to say they are succeeding. With the likes of Youtube and social networks artist can promote and build their own fan base, drop an album , and recoup all of the income without the need for major backing. Could it be that artist are becoming more aware of their capabilities and are in a sense less greedy then their major counterparts? When you're face with opposition or something you don't like you find other ways to make this business work for you. It's something the major labels should have done instead of crying that something went wrong so the artist has to fix it.
But if you can't get off the ground yourself then of course I would tell you to seek the backing of the industries beasts. For those of you that still want the title of being signed I would recommend that you get a GOOD lawyer to negotiate their ass off when it comes to your contract and try to lower the effect the 360 has on your career and for how long. If you want to be worldwide there's really no better way than to be apart of a large corporation. The major labels have established themselves as giants across the board with the income to prove it and their name on your back can get you more business then you've dreamed and cover all your most of your cost. Or it won't.
Like I said before it's a back and forth thing here. It can be good for you or it won't, usually for a new artist it isn't. Depends on your goals and what you hope to accomplish. After that it depends on a really good team of brilliant minds to ensure you don't get screwed.
Ya better believe it.
I understand that after a major record company pours in large amounts of money into an artist that in return produces an album with minimum sales, they would want to recoup their money back. Especially if the artist wasn't famous before the record company it makes sense that they receive some of the pie. Because the artist was nothing until the majors right?
Technically the way I look at it, majors shouldn't be rewarded for something that's technically half their fault. I mean if they're in control of promotions and making sure the artist sells, then why aren't they selling?
For example the new Redman and Method Man album "Blackout 2" is an amazing album. Many people have been waiting for a reunion since the release of "Blackout" in 1999. The first "Blackout" album received so much hype it went platinum in January of 2000, just four months after being released in September of 1999. The "Blackout 2" album sold 148,000 copies by September of 2009 after being released in May of 2009. Four months later and not even a quarter million sold compared to the duos first album. So who's really at fault here?
Record companies already take a large sum out of records sales, so artist have to find other avenues to make money to cover advances and other fees that accompany their careers and lifestyles. That's when you get endorsements,commercials,touring and the likes. I would say on behalf of the artist that finding multiple streams of income is a financial duty and a smart business move; so is it right that now the major labels want to cash in on your smart moves because they failed? It doesn't sound like a fair deal to me and it also sounds like a short term way to deal with declining record sales instead of the corporation looking to find the long term solution. Instead of revamping the music industry they panicked and asked for a bailout.
Today many artist are looking for other avenues to become successful music stars and needless to say they are succeeding. With the likes of Youtube and social networks artist can promote and build their own fan base, drop an album , and recoup all of the income without the need for major backing. Could it be that artist are becoming more aware of their capabilities and are in a sense less greedy then their major counterparts? When you're face with opposition or something you don't like you find other ways to make this business work for you. It's something the major labels should have done instead of crying that something went wrong so the artist has to fix it.
But if you can't get off the ground yourself then of course I would tell you to seek the backing of the industries beasts. For those of you that still want the title of being signed I would recommend that you get a GOOD lawyer to negotiate their ass off when it comes to your contract and try to lower the effect the 360 has on your career and for how long. If you want to be worldwide there's really no better way than to be apart of a large corporation. The major labels have established themselves as giants across the board with the income to prove it and their name on your back can get you more business then you've dreamed and cover all your most of your cost. Or it won't.
Like I said before it's a back and forth thing here. It can be good for you or it won't, usually for a new artist it isn't. Depends on your goals and what you hope to accomplish. After that it depends on a really good team of brilliant minds to ensure you don't get screwed.
Ya better believe it.
I sometimes wonder if artist signed to major record labels really listened to their fans, if music would take a different turn. There seems to be an outcry for change and usually it's the same dislike for something yelled out over and over, yet nothing changes. People tend to go with whatever is available and popular. If all you have are apples and oranges then people choose apples or oranges even if they really want a ripe, juicy mango. (Worst case senario is they choose never to eat fruit again and grab the bottle of V8 Tropical Splash.)
Music at one point use to be a fruit basket of specific choices. Nowadays you'll be lucky to find just a slightly bruised piece of fruit that's still edible and not leaking onto any other piece. Though when you're starving you'll just about eat anything.
The fans are starving for good music and yet the industry is producing rotten records. Everywhere from punk, rock, rap and R&B, people are seeing a heavy decline in quality records, at least where mainstream is concerned. More and more people are getting their music from farms (underground) rather than the grocery store (mainstream). Have the record companies lost touch with what the people want? I think so.
In fact I think they're suffering from identity crisis.
Punk sounds like pop, rap sounds like pop, r&B sounds like pop and pop sounds like disco.
Someone has been mixing apples and oranges and putting it on the market without tasting it first.
Being a lover of all types of music I remember in the 90's and early 2000's being able to choose from different artist and genres fully expecting (and with success) to hear an array of sounds and styles. Tupac sounded different than Biggie Smalls, Brandy sounded different than Monica, Alanis Morissette sounded different than Fiona Apple, and The Offspring sounded different than Green Day. Switching the radio stations was more like eating an ambrosia where as nowadays switching the radio station is like throwing out spoiled bananas. Nothing seems to assuage my hunger for good music, and quite frankly I'm tired of eating the same tasteless produce.
I look at us simple fans with music today as young children. We may not want to eat our peas but moms and pops make us anyway. We hate the peas but we don't have a choice, we ate all the good stuff first and now we're left with crap. And we can't understand why in heck mom keeps buying peas if she knows it's a hassle to shove it down our throats. When we ask her why, she says " You don't have a choice! I cooked them and you're going to eat it or you can sit at the table all night until you do!"
And sure enough we eat them just so we can get up from the damn table only to find out mom and dad never put any peas on their plates.
Granted we're not children anymore, but that's very much the way these giant record companies treat us and I think it's about time we tell our parents we're grown and we'll eat what we dag well please. Give us a choice or at least put something on the plate we can cope with without gagging.
We as fans and artist can change the harvest and we need to follow our stomachs and sink our teeth into something flavorsome for a change. Go back into the streets and back to the people and give them something they really want to eat. Find out what they hunger for and cook something up. Try different seasonings and bases and add flavor to your music. Throw the recipe book out of the window and make music from scratch so that you can obtain something uniquely different and let your guest taste test it first before you package it up and ship it out.Change the sounds and turn the trends. Lets create the buffet of music there once was and force feed the arrangement down the labels necks.
Ya better believe it.
Music at one point use to be a fruit basket of specific choices. Nowadays you'll be lucky to find just a slightly bruised piece of fruit that's still edible and not leaking onto any other piece. Though when you're starving you'll just about eat anything.
The fans are starving for good music and yet the industry is producing rotten records. Everywhere from punk, rock, rap and R&B, people are seeing a heavy decline in quality records, at least where mainstream is concerned. More and more people are getting their music from farms (underground) rather than the grocery store (mainstream). Have the record companies lost touch with what the people want? I think so.
In fact I think they're suffering from identity crisis.
Punk sounds like pop, rap sounds like pop, r&B sounds like pop and pop sounds like disco.
Someone has been mixing apples and oranges and putting it on the market without tasting it first.
Being a lover of all types of music I remember in the 90's and early 2000's being able to choose from different artist and genres fully expecting (and with success) to hear an array of sounds and styles. Tupac sounded different than Biggie Smalls, Brandy sounded different than Monica, Alanis Morissette sounded different than Fiona Apple, and The Offspring sounded different than Green Day. Switching the radio stations was more like eating an ambrosia where as nowadays switching the radio station is like throwing out spoiled bananas. Nothing seems to assuage my hunger for good music, and quite frankly I'm tired of eating the same tasteless produce.
I look at us simple fans with music today as young children. We may not want to eat our peas but moms and pops make us anyway. We hate the peas but we don't have a choice, we ate all the good stuff first and now we're left with crap. And we can't understand why in heck mom keeps buying peas if she knows it's a hassle to shove it down our throats. When we ask her why, she says " You don't have a choice! I cooked them and you're going to eat it or you can sit at the table all night until you do!"
And sure enough we eat them just so we can get up from the damn table only to find out mom and dad never put any peas on their plates.
Granted we're not children anymore, but that's very much the way these giant record companies treat us and I think it's about time we tell our parents we're grown and we'll eat what we dag well please. Give us a choice or at least put something on the plate we can cope with without gagging.
We as fans and artist can change the harvest and we need to follow our stomachs and sink our teeth into something flavorsome for a change. Go back into the streets and back to the people and give them something they really want to eat. Find out what they hunger for and cook something up. Try different seasonings and bases and add flavor to your music. Throw the recipe book out of the window and make music from scratch so that you can obtain something uniquely different and let your guest taste test it first before you package it up and ship it out.Change the sounds and turn the trends. Lets create the buffet of music there once was and force feed the arrangement down the labels necks.
Ya better believe it.
Like they say knowledge is power, so the more you know the better applied. With that being said I have composed a list of Major record companies for your researching pleasure. Ultimately the more you know about a record label, (what artist are signed to them, names of Md's and execs, the style of music they are interested in receiving) the better and more impressive your chances are in joining them. Of course don't miscount all the hard work you have to do as an artist or artist manager. You still have to submit your music through established industry professionals to any of the major labels and do all the street work to create a buzz before moving ahead, but at least you'll have an idea of where you're going. It's never smart to move into a home you've never seen before!
Universal Music Group-Geffen Records, Island Def Jam Music Group, Motown Records, Verve Music Group, Decca Music Group.
Sony Music Entertainment Inc- Arista Records, Columbia Records, Jive Records, RCA Records
Warner Music Group Corp.- Atlantic Records, Warner Brother Records
EMI Group PLC- Captiol Records, Virgin, Blue Note
And here is a list of Independent record labels as well...
Epitah
TVT
Koch
Saddle Creek
Rap-A-Lot
Alchemy Records
Century Media Records
Matchbox Records
The list goes on and on, but if you have any reputable labels you'd like to see featured on this list please let me know and I'll be sure to add them!
Universal Music Group-Geffen Records, Island Def Jam Music Group, Motown Records, Verve Music Group, Decca Music Group.
Sony Music Entertainment Inc- Arista Records, Columbia Records, Jive Records, RCA Records
Warner Music Group Corp.- Atlantic Records, Warner Brother Records
EMI Group PLC- Captiol Records, Virgin, Blue Note
And here is a list of Independent record labels as well...
Epitah
TVT
Koch
Saddle Creek
Rap-A-Lot
Alchemy Records
Century Media Records
Matchbox Records
The list goes on and on, but if you have any reputable labels you'd like to see featured on this list please let me know and I'll be sure to add them!
There's been an ongoing debate as to the reasons female mc's aren't at the height of the hip hop industry. Beside such idols like Missy Elliott, Little Kim, Eve, Trina, Shawnna, and Foxy Brown, the new century hasn't seen many others rise to a prominent standard. There are a number of reason, from being too sexual to being too manly, from being too high-maintenance to being too grimy. For whatever you think the female rap artist is doing it is ultimately causing their downfall.
In a perfect world I have a solution to such a demise. Of course as you may know any dream can come to reality and what I have to suggest may very well start the process of a more equal arena concerning women in the hip hop industry.
1. Band Together
Nothing disturbs me more than the way women treat each other, especially when it comes to this industry. Ever since we were kids, girls were always quick to abandoned one of there fellow females for the approval of their male counterparts. Even in relationships, if it's serious or rather if it's not as well, it takes days to get in touch with your home girl while the men still have Friday nights out with the boys. Every time you see a woman MC accepting an award she's surrounded by men instead of a click of down ass females. Every time you see collaborations you see a gang of men and maybe one woman. What about women collaborating with each other? I would love to see 3 women on a track featuring one dude.
We're constantly competing with men, doing anything we can to gain acceptance and it never seems to appease them no matter what is done. To a woman if another woman backs her click up, she's considered a force to be reckon with, to a man she's just a crazy bitch and that's not very supportive. We hold power in numbers, so the more of us that support each other more people will take us seriously. If you sell your own girl out, you'll sell anyone out.
2. Don't Forget Your Body, Just Be More Than Your Body
We've heard it a thousand times. We talk about our kit-kats more than anything else and everyone is just plain sick of hearing about it. Sure, it's something that is pretty special, it's the door to new life and can drive a man loco in the head, bending to the will of your mighty oochie power. But it's not all there is to us. I believe a lot men have it right, they talk about things many people as a majority can relate to. The wonderful thing about females is that many of us experience not just the woman aspect of life but also that of a man. Many of us are single mothers, or hustlers, or orphans, or victims of serious crimes, and even the villains. We have many subjects to discuss that the world can relate to other than fancy clothing or sex and the skillful artist can incorporate it all together making the bigger of picture of life come to light. Expand your knowledge, write about everything. We have a bad habit of succumbing to the will of man when we really need to succumb to will of our experiences. If it shouts to be written, write it even if it's not the club booty romper. Ice Cube said it best at the 2009 Hip Hop Awards, "Don't be a slave" and he meant that for everything, radio and TV. Keep doing what's in your heart, make it hot but most of all make it real.
3. That Glass Ceiling is Thinning, Lets Break it!
I know of many women who have great ideas and make better decisions about business than some men. Don't let your talent corner you into being only an entertainer. Own more of what you do by becoming involved. Learn the business and create a business. The more women we have in executive positions the better our chances of opening the flood gates for more ladies to come through. Like I've mentioned before we always succumb to the will of our mighty men and it's high time we join them in their ranks instead of adopting new "play fathers" to take care of everything we're doing. Now granted we don't have to bash men over the head with "my hips are bigger than yours, move over!" but if you have a talent for running things or creating brands and new avenues then I think you have every right to run a business or at least hold enough shares to have input in the way things are ran. I understand that we may have been through so much that it feels good to have someone else take over once in awhile if not always, but it's that kind of thinking that lets people know you'll never have what it takes to maintain a career. Men think they want a housewife, but isn't it always the ambitious, creative, and full of life women they go after? If you can't take a serious interest in the how your career is going and where it should go then what makes you think anyone else will.
These are the main issues I have with Female Mc's and being one myself is something I take very seriously. I've learned through trial and error what works and what doesn't and realized I was following trends instead of setting my own. I hope to be a focal point in the Female Rap community and give full support to those who are definitely making a change without hate and just pure hope and willpower and realistic ideas. If everyone believed the hype of "that's just the way things go, you can't change that." Then Black people would have never founded the Civil Rights Act.
Ya better believe it.
In a perfect world I have a solution to such a demise. Of course as you may know any dream can come to reality and what I have to suggest may very well start the process of a more equal arena concerning women in the hip hop industry.
1. Band Together
Nothing disturbs me more than the way women treat each other, especially when it comes to this industry. Ever since we were kids, girls were always quick to abandoned one of there fellow females for the approval of their male counterparts. Even in relationships, if it's serious or rather if it's not as well, it takes days to get in touch with your home girl while the men still have Friday nights out with the boys. Every time you see a woman MC accepting an award she's surrounded by men instead of a click of down ass females. Every time you see collaborations you see a gang of men and maybe one woman. What about women collaborating with each other? I would love to see 3 women on a track featuring one dude.
We're constantly competing with men, doing anything we can to gain acceptance and it never seems to appease them no matter what is done. To a woman if another woman backs her click up, she's considered a force to be reckon with, to a man she's just a crazy bitch and that's not very supportive. We hold power in numbers, so the more of us that support each other more people will take us seriously. If you sell your own girl out, you'll sell anyone out.
2. Don't Forget Your Body, Just Be More Than Your Body
We've heard it a thousand times. We talk about our kit-kats more than anything else and everyone is just plain sick of hearing about it. Sure, it's something that is pretty special, it's the door to new life and can drive a man loco in the head, bending to the will of your mighty oochie power. But it's not all there is to us. I believe a lot men have it right, they talk about things many people as a majority can relate to. The wonderful thing about females is that many of us experience not just the woman aspect of life but also that of a man. Many of us are single mothers, or hustlers, or orphans, or victims of serious crimes, and even the villains. We have many subjects to discuss that the world can relate to other than fancy clothing or sex and the skillful artist can incorporate it all together making the bigger of picture of life come to light. Expand your knowledge, write about everything. We have a bad habit of succumbing to the will of man when we really need to succumb to will of our experiences. If it shouts to be written, write it even if it's not the club booty romper. Ice Cube said it best at the 2009 Hip Hop Awards, "Don't be a slave" and he meant that for everything, radio and TV. Keep doing what's in your heart, make it hot but most of all make it real.
3. That Glass Ceiling is Thinning, Lets Break it!
I know of many women who have great ideas and make better decisions about business than some men. Don't let your talent corner you into being only an entertainer. Own more of what you do by becoming involved. Learn the business and create a business. The more women we have in executive positions the better our chances of opening the flood gates for more ladies to come through. Like I've mentioned before we always succumb to the will of our mighty men and it's high time we join them in their ranks instead of adopting new "play fathers" to take care of everything we're doing. Now granted we don't have to bash men over the head with "my hips are bigger than yours, move over!" but if you have a talent for running things or creating brands and new avenues then I think you have every right to run a business or at least hold enough shares to have input in the way things are ran. I understand that we may have been through so much that it feels good to have someone else take over once in awhile if not always, but it's that kind of thinking that lets people know you'll never have what it takes to maintain a career. Men think they want a housewife, but isn't it always the ambitious, creative, and full of life women they go after? If you can't take a serious interest in the how your career is going and where it should go then what makes you think anyone else will.
These are the main issues I have with Female Mc's and being one myself is something I take very seriously. I've learned through trial and error what works and what doesn't and realized I was following trends instead of setting my own. I hope to be a focal point in the Female Rap community and give full support to those who are definitely making a change without hate and just pure hope and willpower and realistic ideas. If everyone believed the hype of "that's just the way things go, you can't change that." Then Black people would have never founded the Civil Rights Act.
Ya better believe it.
Last night on Twitter, Kevin Shine ( A&R Consultant-Jive Records) asked for an industry topic to discuss. I immediately shouted out as many questions concerning the industry I possibly could before he settled on answering one of them. The question I purposed was this; afterward I allowed him to explain his reasoning on this important matter for the hip hop community without interruption (I've extended the conversation to include missing words that otherwise wouldn't fit with Twitter's micro-blogging capabilities.)
Can you speak about the declining sales in albums? Jay Z may be the first and only to receive a gold album for 2009,any suggestions for change?
Kevin Shine: The Problem I am addressing is the decline of sales, because as we listen to all this music, we hear three hits out of every thirty records and one blow out.Today we see a major decline in sales at retail, we see a major decline in quality album, decline in jobs at the labels, and lots of singles. Labels have artist sitting waiting on their release dates.Artist are not focus building quality catalogs.Everyone has an album/video coming out.
So we look at the decline in sales, people are not happy with the quality of artist, they like your record, but they aren't coming out to see you perform. Older artist are still holding their position in the big picture, while new artist are suffering. They are not building careers, they are living for the moment.
No Buzz, no major spins from Dj's or radio, no word of mouth, no money to push themselves, but they all want free money, no!
Hip Hop artist make records then run to the A&R or the radio, instead of taking it to the people.Everyone is looking for the microwave oven single, sometimes it hurts, sometimes it works,but mostly it hurts.No records are developed for the people, just radio.
Or we look for the club bangers!!! It's not always the best song,but we have been brainwashed into thinking the only way to break a record is the club.
The focus on a single sometimes hurts the whole project, because it doesn't match or nothing else on the project sounds as good, then we rush the CD.R&B and pop albums sound like compilation Cd's, 10 songs 10 producers, no one is focused on creating cohesive projects.
Everyone wants to be a pop star, because they think they're gonna make money, even if they're from the hood. What do you know about pop? That's whack.
What happened to R&B? I want to hear good R&B,
So should we go against the grain? Do the opposite of demand? Because this trend seems to be universal.
Kevin Shine:True. We don't trust the people to tell us the truth, so we look for any brainwashing vehicle we can use to manipulate the listener. So artist are selling you the hype of their project, over featuring albums, no true identity on the project, too many sounds, and too many egos.
It's hard to understand how people think this works. It's because the people reppin' the artist aren't connected or knowledgeable, so artist are missing opportunities and money.
For a project to work, all parties from the label, management, agents, lawyer, and fans have to be on the same page.
Street teams versus the internet is one better than the other?
Kevin Shine:We know the internet is gonna be the main source for distribution, no retail store is making enough money to support independent or major labels without a brand name.
So for all you new artist, its a tough time people are scared take your time with your projects, this could be your last chance to do it right. Be careful every artist doesn't understand how much you need songwriters on your project. Even if you think you are the best writer ever, its business not personal.
There is a big difference between a quality song versus quality records, do your homework, I hear a lot of song, not records. We all have to learn, but for those of us that are "know-it-all's", Good luck fam, I pray you are right, otherwise your ass gonna be broke!!!
I want to thank Kevin Shine for this brief enlightenment into some of the reasons we see a decline in record sales. I believe the more you are educated the better your chances for success. I think it's high time we all started to do our homework and stop letting our pride get in the way of our business. Keep doing you , don't lose your identity but at the same time take in the world around you. If this is your future then treat it as such, make your music timeless, make your brand everlasting and never give up on your dreams. I hope that one day soon we can see Hip Hop as the paramount force it once was, but it takes all of the bricks to hold the beast of a building up, so lets continue to work together for a common goal. Make music, Make money. Ya better believe it.
Follow Kevin Shine On Twitter@kevin_anr_shine
youtube.com KEVIN SHINE, & ASCAP WRITINGSESSIONS
Or www.myspace.com/kevshine
For more information about Kevin Shine and education.
Can you speak about the declining sales in albums? Jay Z may be the first and only to receive a gold album for 2009,any suggestions for change?
Kevin Shine: The Problem I am addressing is the decline of sales, because as we listen to all this music, we hear three hits out of every thirty records and one blow out.Today we see a major decline in sales at retail, we see a major decline in quality album, decline in jobs at the labels, and lots of singles. Labels have artist sitting waiting on their release dates.Artist are not focus building quality catalogs.Everyone has an album/video coming out.
So we look at the decline in sales, people are not happy with the quality of artist, they like your record, but they aren't coming out to see you perform. Older artist are still holding their position in the big picture, while new artist are suffering. They are not building careers, they are living for the moment.
No Buzz, no major spins from Dj's or radio, no word of mouth, no money to push themselves, but they all want free money, no!
Hip Hop artist make records then run to the A&R or the radio, instead of taking it to the people.Everyone is looking for the microwave oven single, sometimes it hurts, sometimes it works,but mostly it hurts.No records are developed for the people, just radio.
Or we look for the club bangers!!! It's not always the best song,but we have been brainwashed into thinking the only way to break a record is the club.
The focus on a single sometimes hurts the whole project, because it doesn't match or nothing else on the project sounds as good, then we rush the CD.R&B and pop albums sound like compilation Cd's, 10 songs 10 producers, no one is focused on creating cohesive projects.
Everyone wants to be a pop star, because they think they're gonna make money, even if they're from the hood. What do you know about pop? That's whack.
What happened to R&B? I want to hear good R&B,
So should we go against the grain? Do the opposite of demand? Because this trend seems to be universal.
Kevin Shine:True. We don't trust the people to tell us the truth, so we look for any brainwashing vehicle we can use to manipulate the listener. So artist are selling you the hype of their project, over featuring albums, no true identity on the project, too many sounds, and too many egos.
It's hard to understand how people think this works. It's because the people reppin' the artist aren't connected or knowledgeable, so artist are missing opportunities and money.
For a project to work, all parties from the label, management, agents, lawyer, and fans have to be on the same page.
Street teams versus the internet is one better than the other?
Kevin Shine:We know the internet is gonna be the main source for distribution, no retail store is making enough money to support independent or major labels without a brand name.
So for all you new artist, its a tough time people are scared take your time with your projects, this could be your last chance to do it right. Be careful every artist doesn't understand how much you need songwriters on your project. Even if you think you are the best writer ever, its business not personal.
There is a big difference between a quality song versus quality records, do your homework, I hear a lot of song, not records. We all have to learn, but for those of us that are "know-it-all's", Good luck fam, I pray you are right, otherwise your ass gonna be broke!!!
I want to thank Kevin Shine for this brief enlightenment into some of the reasons we see a decline in record sales. I believe the more you are educated the better your chances for success. I think it's high time we all started to do our homework and stop letting our pride get in the way of our business. Keep doing you , don't lose your identity but at the same time take in the world around you. If this is your future then treat it as such, make your music timeless, make your brand everlasting and never give up on your dreams. I hope that one day soon we can see Hip Hop as the paramount force it once was, but it takes all of the bricks to hold the beast of a building up, so lets continue to work together for a common goal. Make music, Make money. Ya better believe it.
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For more information about Kevin Shine and education.
