Wendy Day is an advocate for indie hip hop artists and has prevented a large number of artists from getting screwed by negotiating their deals. Google her. I had the pleasure of interviewing her a short time ago when she first released her current book.
In this short video clip, Wendy explains that not all deals are bad when you’re educated about music business. But more importantly, she goes on the explain why hip hop artist these days are better off staying independent.
Do yourself a solid and follow her on Twitter @RapCoalition. Wendy is also on our “must follow” list in our Indie Hip Hop Directory, which should already be one of the tools in your grind right now . Read the rest of this entry »
Not much commentary to add to this video other than the fact that I like finding stories of other indie hip hop artists doing it themselves and making it happen. You can do your own shit, march to your own drummer, and find an audience that’s feels you. Be inspired! Read the rest of this entry »
This is my super duper dope list of 15 Twitter grinders that always stay on top of the latest music business info. Follow this 15 and you’ll be way ahead of the game and educated on some of the most important aspects of this ever evolving music industry. But in order to get this list, I ask that you do something for me first. Tweet this out to your followers on Twitter with the button below, and you’ll get a free download of this list.
SoundExchange collects royalties when sound your music is played on satellite radi0, Internet radio, on cable TV music channels, and other streaming services. SoundExchange covers ground and ASCAP an BMI doesn’t, so many artists have unclaimed money waiting for them that they’re totally unaware of. SoundExchange is free to join. Check out the vid to find out more about their service. Read the rest of this entry »
Sites like Twitter, Facebook, and even Youtube, when used correctly, are proving to be the most effective ways to build your fan base and keep them updated. Make it a point to follow other successful artists to see how they are using these tools to their advantage. Read the rest of this entry »
I’ve seen some artists sign some fucked up contacts in my day. Whether it was with a record company, management, or production company. These contracts were almost always signed without a lawyer involved. Most of the time artists only seek counsel when they’re trying to get out of a bad agreement. Bad agreements can stagnate and ruin any chances you have of living out your dream of having a career in music. Music attorney Ed Fair in this video clip expresses the importance of knowing when seek legal help.
In this video clip, Michele Singer, Director of Legal and Business Affairs for jazz and classical, breaks down some of the finer points of the recoupment process between artists and their labels.
Young Guru, a well established producer in the music business, gives you the straight talk about corporations, major labels, and how artists enslave themselves by signing record contracts. This video is filled with gems and should be encouragement for every independent hip hop artist on the path to building their own business.
Lance Grode teaches Legal Issues in the Music Business at USC Law. In this video he expresses the need for labels to adapt to remain sustainable. Good info if you’re running an indie label as well.
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