Write Me a Check Please...

I spend a lot of time giving advice to indie recording artist who are at the end of the line where patience is concerned. They've pounded the pavement, shook the hands, sat in the meetings with so many sellers of the dream of super stardom. I understand that desperation can cloud judgement. This desperation is one of the main reasons for bad "record deals". The pimping of desperate artists is so prevalent in this business that now days, artist sometimes walk away from a potentially good deal out of frustration and fear.

Recently I was talking to this MC I know. He's a good guy. He's extremely talented, but very worn and exhausted from what feels like a never ending battle to get "put on" in the music business. Recently, he was approached by a company which dealt mainly in digital distribution of mp3's. The company had a laundry list of requirements to sign with it. Most contracts are pretty detailed and lengthy, so that was to be expected. What stopped me in my tracks was the insistence that the artists was required to write a check to this company to help pay for the deal. Even more absurd was the reasoning. The company suggested that it was taking all of the risks financially; that the artists was only rapping.

I quickly informed the artist how silly a position this was for a so called record company to take. The company was trying to make the artist feel obligated to the company because the label was footing the bill for marketing and promotion...

... but, isn't that the labels job? The label can't rap. The label cant get on stage and perform the music. My main reason for being angry about this is the way some companies try to treat the talent as if they aren't bringing anything to the table. They're the talent. You, the label, opted to go into business with that artists based on their talent and marketability. The artist should have sought out a company that could issue them a fair contract and a good plan for marketing and promotions.

The artist/record company relationship is like a marriage, and no side of this arrangement should be treating the other side as if they aren't stepping up to the plate(unless that is actually the case). That doesn't really work in a solid marriage, it won't work in an artist/label situation either.

Long story short; you should not be paying someone to put out your album. The label brings it's marketing and promo muscle to the table and you, the artist, bring your A-game when it comes to performing. Best case scenario is the label and the artists, after costs, split profits, but in the typical scenario, the artist gets his or her percentage of sales once the product is in the market place.

Dig deep and look for that patience and keep watchful for a fair deal, or better yet; put the product out yourself.