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Wednesday, November 2, 2011

50 Cent - Rap's Renaissance Man

Thoughts By: B. Brown - BREG
- Author of the E-Book The Art of Music Management

50 Cent has proven over the years that he is willing to pay the price for what he wants in life, but you may be thinking that I referencing his drug dealing past and fondness of robbing people to supply his needs and desires. What I am actually referring to is his love and need to read! That's right, reading! 50 Cents loves to read!

Now, when you read the JET MAGAZINE article below, take note of the fact that 50 Cent has just released a book he wrote to deal with the serious issue of bullying in schools because he was a bully in school. He is making a difference!

Even though he dropped out of school in the 10th Grade, 50 understood that learning never stops and the best way to do that is by continuing to read. He gives credit to strategy books for helping him in high level negotiations that he has been involved in during his career.

So to all my aspiring artists, producers, managers, etc., keep your reading list tight and peep some of the books that 50 has read so that you continue to learn and position yourself for greatness!

One Love and enjoy the article below!


Jet Magazine - Oct. 24-31, 2011  jetmag.com

By: S. Tia Brown

I am nervous. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson III is the first candidate in my favorite archetype of “men I’d like to marry” — The Reformed Thug. Smart. Sweet. Sexy. And ever-so dangerous — I’m from Brooklyn, don’t judge. So while I know the likelihood of becoming “Mrs. Jackson” is slim, my stomach is still jumping as I wait the six, yes, six, hours it takes to get him on the phone. My mission: I don’t really want a ring. I’m just hoping some of his greatness will rub off. It’s selfish but true.

When 50’s handler finally gets him on the phone, I’m not greeted with the brash instigator we hear on the radio, or the crotch-grabbing cad we see in videos such as Candy Shop. Instead, I begin chatting with someone who sounds way more like a former classmate from my New York City magnet high school (you know, the kind where everyone has to test in). His diction, subject/verb agreement and politeness surpass those of many of my Kenneth Cole-donning, college-educated suitors. Most of all, he doesn’t convey the aura of someone who held up corners as a tween, dropped out of school in the tenth grade and robbed people to thrive.

Defining Moments
We all know the story of 50 Cent, the former drug dealer who was shot nine times before he courted, then married, fame. Still, few people get the story of Curtis James Jackson III. In the suburbs, whole schools are offered trauma counseling when one of their White classmates gets hit by a car — but what happens to our boys when they see their friends shot, their mamas robbed or their dads stabbed? Nothing. So they cope the best way they can– typically with aggression or depression. We all know what Jackson chose...

... The rap star's most recent project, a book entitled 50 Cent: Playground, The Mostly True Story of a Reformed Bully, is just one of the ways he's hoping to make a difference. "I read Diary of a Wimpy Kid and I realized I wanted to do something like that, but from the perspective of someone who's bullying and not dealing with his or her emotions," he says.

... While some college grads never open a book after flipping the tassel, dropping out of high school wasn't the end of 50's education. He's always loved reading. "It allows you to learn from someone else's mistakes. It puts you ahead of the class and the curve at the same time. You get to develop a passion in an area and inform yourself in every way possible on how to become successful and work towards it."

It's obvious where his passion lies. "A lot of books that I've read are on business and philosopy, like The 48 Laws of Power and The Art of Seduction. I read those books because I got interested in robbing people," he says of these renowned works on strategy. Luckily, the books offer transferable skills, which he took to every negotiation. "I paid attention to the possibilities of the deal," he states. "Instinctively, I wanted the most options in the deal. How would I know? You pay attention to winning." And he did.

Asking 50 whether he was scared to wrestle with the big boys --- you know White, educated, pedigreed males --- is like asking a tiger whether he's scared of a lion. The answer is no. They respect each other's power. "It's levels out because when you have an aura around you, people kind of understand that they shouldn't play with you," he shares. "They skip the little games they would play with others," he adds.

Success Redefined

Though 50's success may be considered an anomaly to some, a result of prayer warriors by others and luck to a few, there is no doubt in his mind that reading changed his life. "Even someone under the hardest circumstances will tell you they can free themselves through reading," he tells JET. "So no matter what's going on, you have other options." ...

... Education is ongoing.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

A Tour Manager's Decision!


Insight By: B. Brown - BREG


In any field of business, management is key! But in reference to the music industry, management is absolutely important to the career & sometimes the life of a solo artist, group or band.

The article below highlights a great decision made by Sugarland's Tour Manager. It was a great instinctive decision that actually saved the band members lives!

I've dealt with a lot of artists and groups that don't necessarily believe what their management tells them even when it's in their best interest to listen and at least try to understand what is being said to them. Now, I'm not saying that management is going to always be correct, because no one is right all the time, but I am saying that all parties involved in a situation should listen to each other and make the best decision possible.

Communication is the key and having contingency plans in place when artists are on the road is critical. Airline Tickets, Bus Set-up & Maintenance, Security, Props, Venue Access, Dressing Room(s), Radio/Publicity Schedule, Charity Work, Stage Props & Set-up, Sound Check, etc.

You see, it really never stops and the Road Manager is the point person, and has a lot of responsibility to make sure the show takes place a close to perfect as perfect can get.

Sugarland's road manager made a decision to keep them off the stage for a minute or two after surveying the clouds in the sky and seeing a storm approaching. That decision saved the band members lives because major wind came through a minute later and destroyed the stage killing several people in the audience. My Prayers go out to them and their families.

Checkout the article below .......

"Sugarland likely saved by tour manager's decision"

CAITLIN R. KING - Associated Press | AP

Tour manager Hellen Rollens looked at the sky and decided to hold the band backstage a minute before 60 to 70 mph wind gusts toppled the roof and the metal scaffolding holding lights and other equipment at the Indiana State Fair where five people died Saturday night in Indianapolis.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — It came down to seconds and one instinctive decision that may have saved the lives of country duo Sugarland and others at the Indiana State Fair where five people died when a stage collapsed.

Tour manager Hellen Rollens looked at the sky and decided to hold the band backstage. A minute later, 60 to 70 mph wind gusts toppled the roof and the metal scaffolding holding lights and other equipment on Saturday night in Indianapolis. It crashed into the audience, killing four instantly and fifth later at a hospital. Dozens were injured, some critically.

When they heard the deafening boom of the stage crashing, Sugarland and crew hit the ground and took cover against a wall, thinking it was going to collapse on top of them. At some point, they made it out of the dust and debris and converged on their tour bus.

"There was no running out anywhere," Sugarland manager Gail Gellman told The Associated Press on Monday. "No one knew what happened. It was just the moment when your eyes get big."

Gellman said others felt it was safe to go on stage, but Rollens ultimately acted on her intuition.

"As a tour manager, it's super important to understand what the weather conditions are when you play outside. We've always talked about not putting the band on during wind, lightning or heavy rain," said Gellman, who was in Las Vegas with another client that night.

"Everybody was standing in a prayer circle getting ready to go onstage, and Hellen, as she was walking down the ramp, the stage fell. So her decision to hold them for literally a minute saved every band member and crew's life."

The calamity has deeply touched Sugarland members Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush.

Nettles said in a statement that she watched video of the collapse on the news "in horror" and was "moved by the grief of those families who lost loved ones." She said she was also "moved by the great heroism" of fans who ran toward the stage to help rescue the injured.

Gellman met up with Nettles on Sunday and has watched her struggle to cope since then.

"There are moments I can see great clarity in her eyes, and there are moments I can see her tears well up so much that I just don't know what to do," Gellman said. "She's just processing and wants to encourage people to be together, to support each other."

Bush went home to be with his children in Georgia.

Gellman strongly believes it was the weather and not a staging problem that brought down the Indiana State Fair structure. She said it will not dictate how she guides her acts in the future.

"I would pose the same question to every band that goes out there, Keith Urban, Kenny (Chesney). We all tour during the summer. We all play outside. We're all cognizant and very aware of what we hang and what we do," she said. "We have restrictions and requirements (from each venue), and we stand by every single one of them."

Sugarland's elaborate set for their "Incredible Machine" tour was destroyed in the collapse. They canceled their Sunday show at the Iowa State Fair, but are "hoping and preparing" to perform as scheduled in Albuquerque, N.M., Thursday.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

The Journey of Songwriters & Music Producers

Thoughts By: B. Brown (BREG)

When I'm speaking to up & coming songwriters, producers, artists or independent production/record label owners, they usually believe doing one thing will skyrocket their careers and that is very rare indeed. Women have even a tougher time breaking through to stardom and financial success in the music industry.

I spoke with DJ Hollywood of DirtySouthradioonline.com a few weeks ago and we discussed the fact that it takes several different campaigns going on at the same time or several different contacts connecting the dots for a spark to occur in someone's career and that takes time! In a lot of cases, a lot of time, like in many years!

The article below is about Angela Hunte-Wisner and Jane't Sewell-Uepic and their songwriting/producing journey.


The Duo Behind The NYC Anthem (Ebony Magazine; June 2011; pg. 70)
By: Margena A. Christian

It's a man's world behind the scenes in the music industry. But women are doing it for themselves. No two people know this better than the Grammy-winning songwriting/production duo of Angela Hunte-Wisner and Jane't Sewell-Ulepic.

"A lot of people said, 'You won't make it,'" recalls Sewell-Ulepic, a graduate of William Paterson University of New Jersey. "They said, 'You will never win a Grammy.' We had to band together as sisters --- hold on, go into this thing and look out for each other. We let our music speak for itself. We don't have gimmicks."

The New York natives, signed to EMI as song-writers and producers, proved the naysayers wrong last February. As the masterminds behind the Jay-Z and Alicia Keys tune, "Empire State of Mind," they won two Grammys for BEst Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. It's also rare for songwriters --- especially women --- to also have co-produced their hits.

"We're the last people who anyone knows about, but we're the mental force of the song," says Hunte-Wisner, a former video casting director and industry stylist. "Being a songwriter is like being a ghost. You give the artists a piece of your soul."

With a combined total of 30 years' experience in show business (Sewell-Ulepic was an engineer for many years), the ladies have been songwriters for the lasst seven. They partnered nearly five years ago after meeting at an EMI writer's conference.

"This is all business and 2 percent music," says Hunte-Wisner. "We deal with publishing issues, approving licenses, bankers and business attorneys. We do our own contracts. It takes a lot to be able to write comfortably. You must be very focused. It's like going up the mountain."

They give back through their work with Grammy U's New York chapter, where the duo prepares college students for careers in music. "They are the future," says Sewell-Ulepic, who earned Grammy nods in 2007 for Fantasia's When I See U. "No one is telling kids how this thing is really structured. We saw the real era of music. We want to find the new Stevie Wonder or Marvin Gaye."

Friday, June 17, 2011

Look at the money that the Top Artists earned these past 12 months! Wow!!!

*Insight from B. Brown (BREG)

Here is what's popping! An Artist or Band has to become popular enough to get on the road and perform! It may start with a local or regional single, and you may have to start your own promo tour and build up to paid shows. But paid shows is how you will earn a substantial part of your money, point blank!

When I consult an Artist or Record Company (Independent or Major), the million dollar question is always what are we going to do to make the Artist popular. Are we going to start with a street campaign, DJ campaign (Record Pools), online campaign, promo tour, radio campaign, videos, etc. Of course, the project budget has a lot to do with what gets done, but the Artist has to start somewhere.

When you read the article below, you will be amazed at how much money an Artist can make once paid shows start coming in on a regular basis.


The World's Highest-Paid Musicians

Posted Thu Jun 16, 2011 1:35pm PDT by Zack O'Malley Greenburg

Two decades ago Jon Bon Jovi sat with the members of his eponymous band in a basement in New Jersey. Hoping to rekindle the group's desire to make music after two grueling years on the road, he'd hung vintage posters on the wall, illuminated only by candles and blacklights. But instead of feeling inspired, Bon Jovi found himself becoming cranky and short of breath.

"I'm thinking maybe this is an issue, maybe I just don't like them," Bon Jovi said in a recent interview for the FORBES Celeb 100 issue. "Until I realized that all the oxygen was sucked out of the room by the candles ... So I blew out the candles, cranked up the amplifiers, and said, 'We're going to be a rock band. If you believe in what I'm telling you, we can be the Rolling Stones.'"

Sure enough, Bon Jovi is still rocking. The group earned $125 million over the past 12 months, enough to claim the No. 2 spot on FORBES' annual list of the world's highest-paid musicians. U2 (pictured above) took home $195 million-and music's money crown-thanks to an international stadium tour that grossed some $700 million over two years, surpassing the Stones' A Bigger Bang tour as the most lucrative of all time.

Power ballad rockers aren't the only artists raking in the cash this year. Elton John ranks third with $100 million, fueled by a 102-show tour; Lady Gaga, godmother to Sir Elton's new son, clocks in at No. 4 with $90 million; Canadian crooner Michael Bublé rounds out the top five with $70 million, also on the strength of a lucrative tour.

Full List: The World's Highest-Paid Musicians

Our numbers encompass all pretax income earned from May 2010 to May 2011, before subtracting agent and manager fees. The totals were compiled with the help of data from Pollstar, RIAA and others, as well as extensive interviews with industry insiders including lawyers, managers, concert promoters, agents and, in some cases, the musicians themselves.

Full List: The World's 25 Highest-Paid Musicians

For most artists, touring was the largest source of income this past year-but some were more efficient than others. Lady Gaga grossed nearly as much in 12 months of touring ($168 million) as Elton John ($204 million), but the costs of her elaborate production (dozens of backup dancers, pyrotechnic undergarments, etc.) ate into her take significantly. Gaga did grab plenty of additional cash from recorded music, publishing and endorsements. And regardless of the margins on her tour, drawing some 2 million fans over the past 12 months is no small feat-for Gaga, or for any of the big touring acts.

"It's one thing to cut a song and get airplay, it's another thing to convert listeners into a loyal fan base that goes through the trials and tribulations of buying tickets, paying for dinner, hiring a baby sitter," says Randy Phillips, chief of concert promoter AEG. "To motivate a fan base to go through all those hurdles, there are very few artists who can do that consistently."

The musicians on our list run quite a gamut. Justin Bieber, who raked in $53 million, is the youngest at age 17. Paul McCartney, who took home $66 million, is the oldest at 68. One couple even made the list-Jay-Z and Beyoncé took home $37 million and $35 million, respectively, marking the first time since their nuptials that the hip-hop mogul earned more than his wife.

Beyoncé is one of only five female solo acts on the list, compared to 13 males. What the list lacks in gender equality, it makes up for in geographical diversity-over one-third of the artists hail from outside the U.S., from countries including the U.K., Barbados, Canada, Ireland, South Africa and Australia.

As for the Rolling Stones, they're widely expected to hit the road again to celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2012. But don't expect a Bon Jovi reunion tour in 2030.

"I don't know if I want to be 68 years old and doing 140 shows in a year," admits Jon Bon Jovi. "Where I'm going, I don't know. And that's the beauty of it."

Additional reporting by Dorothy Pomerantz and Chris Barth.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Making Money Outside of the Music Business!

Quote from Chris Lighty (Violator - Artist Management Firm)
Black Enterprise Magazine (By Tennille M. Robinson; Jan. 2011; pg. 78)

"50 Cent, Sean Combs (P. Diddy) and Jay Z are the poster boys of what went wrong in the music business. They've made so much money outside of the music business, and the music business helped market and promote their brands; but didn't participate in being partners in their brands."


*Insight from B. Brown (BREG)

Chris is basically letting everyone know that these type of superstar artists are the reason the major labels have changed contracts to the "360 Deal" model where the label participates in the artist's entire brand (tours, merchandise, tv, movies, clothes, etc.)

So it is very important that artists understand what leverage they have when they come to the table with a record company and be ready to expand into other marketable areas outside of music. Music is just one component of your business brand as an artist.


Quote from Robbie Vorhaus (CEO & Founder of Vorhaus & Co., a brand strategy firm based in Sag Harbor, NY)
Black Enterprise Magazine (By Tennille M. Robinson; Jan. 2011; pg. 78)

Robbie describes many artists as "timekeepers," meaning they are singular in what they do. They may be "hot" but they aren't making money in their sleep, he adds. "50 Cent figured out he did not want to be a timekeeper. Instead, he said, 'I want to build something sustainable so that even when I'm not as popular as my talent, my production companies, movies or music that I discover will live on."

www.blackenterprise.com

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Jay-Z’s $450 million Business Empire

Insight from B. Brown (BREG)

The article below is a very interesting piece about Jay Z and his mindset. He is no doubt one of the greatest rappers ever, but more importantly, he is becoming one of the greatest American businessmen ever!

I would like all of my aspiring Artists and Business people to read the article below to get a good idea on how we may want to build our portfolios and choose or not choose to be a part of and/or attached to certain companies, products and projects.

Each one of us is an entity, and we must protect and grow our entities properly.

I have a lot of respect for Jay Z, and I wish him continued success!

One Love!


By Daniel Gross | Daily Ticker – Fri, Mar 25, 2011 5:38 PM EDT

This is a superstar economy, in which A-listers live large while minor leaguers struggle. Hedge fund managers like John Paulson may rack up big returns, CEOs like Lloyd Blankfein of Goldman, Sachs bag huge compensation packages, and all-star baseball players like Alex Rodriguez ink nine-figure contracts. But few of them can match the combination of fame, public acclaim and monetary value that Shawn Corey Carter has racked up.

Who?

Amid the carnage of the music industry in the past decade, Jay-Z has managed to parlay artistic success into financial fortune valued at up to $450 million, according to Forbes. Jay-Z's many business successes (and few failures) are described in a new book by Forbes writer Zack O'Malley Greenburg, entitled Empire State of Mind: How Jay-Z Went from Street Corner to Corner Office.

In 2010 alone, he earned $63 million, more than all but seven CEOs of public companies, writes Greenburg. While the money came primarily from touring, Jay-Z has a business interests ranging from music to nightclubs, from restaurants to apparel, from sneakers to a chunk of the New Jersey Nets. As Greenburg and I discuss in the video, the Brooklyn native, who spent a chunk of his teens selling drugs before devoting himself full time to rap, has "a unique ability to set trends and profit from them, almost to an astronomical level."

Early on, Jay-Z displayed an acumen for business. In 1994, unable to find a company to produce his debut records, Jay-Z, Damon Dash and a silent partner founded their own label, Roc-A-Fella Records. And when a distributor agreed to take on the album, he negotiated a deal to retain ownership of the master recordings.

In the late 1990s, he discovered that sales of Iceberg apparel rose after he began including references to them in his songs. But when he went to Iceberg and asked for an endorsement deal, the company demurred. Instead, he started his own apparel company, Rocawear. In 2006, Rocawwear was sold to a brand licensing company for $204 million.

There's been much more: a line of sneakers for Reebok, the 40/40 nightclub chain, an ad for Hewlett-Packard, and an interest in the hot New York City gastro pub, The Spotted Pig.

Jay-Z's career and business interests are vivid testimony to the mainstreaming of hip-hop culture. Deals come his way in part because he is, simply put, much cooler and culturally relevant than older guys in suits. It's not simply that he can attract a crowd, but that he lends a kind of legitimacy to all sorts of ventures — including the efforts to build a huge arena/ development to house the New Jersey Nets in Brooklyn. The New Jersey Nets, as Greenburg notes, had long been a second-tier team in the NBA, and an afterthought in New York. Facing political obstacles and community opposition, Nets owner Bruce Ratner offered Jay-Z a small ownership stake in exchange for becoming one of the public faces of the project. Another potential bonus: the other owners thought Jay-Z could help attract top talent like LeBron James to the Nets.

That hasn't quite worked out. And, of course, as is the case with most serial entrepreneurs, Jay-Z has had his share of business setbacks. He spent a fair amount of time last decade working on a Jay-Z Jeep, which fell apart due to issues at Chrysler. A GMC Yukon painted Jay-Z blue never got beyond the concept car stage. As Greenburg notes, the singer makes a strong effort not to highlight failures. "He doesn't want to be seen as anything other than victorious." Greenburg adds: "Even Jay-Z fails, but that doesn't make him any less of a businessman."

So what's next? Despite all his operations, music and performing remain at the core of his business, and of his brand. And here he faces something of a challenge. In rock and pop, it's not uncommon for groups and singers to fill big arenas well into their 60s — the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, even Neil Diamond (who is now 70!). But hip-hop is a much younger genre, and Jay-Z is already 41. "He's the first guy who is going to be out there and seeing what the market is for aging rappers," said Greenburg. "But if he wants to tour all the time like the Stones do, he could certainly do that."

Jay-Z has succeeded in part because of a tough-minded mentality that make him insist that he own a part of any operations he's involved with. And that explains in part why he and his team didn't cooperate with this book. When he signed his book contract, Greenburg went to Jay-Z's team, sought interviews, and explained the book as a business success story that "would put him up in the pantheon with Warren Buffett and Steve jobs." Came the response: "What's in it for us?" He didn't want to help with the production of a book that he wouldn't partially own. Besides, he was working on his own book. When it was published last November Decoded debuted as #3 on the New York Times best-seller list.

Daniel Gross is economics editor at Yahoo! Finance

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Can You Believe These Superstars Were Once Rejected By 'American Idol'?

Insight from: B. Brown (BREG)

As an Artist, you encounter plenty of up's and down's, but the key is not to give up and let a disappointing experience destroy your drive. You must regroup by honestly looking at your most recent performance and do everything in your power to improve from that situation. That's how you get better and secure the next opportunity that arises!

Check-out what these former American Idol hopefuls that did not make it on Idol, but became stars on other shows and in other ways.


*By Lyndsey Parker (Yahoo! Music | Friday, February 25, 2011)

These familiar faces didn't make the "Idol" cut.

The "American Idol" top 24 have been announced, and along with the expected ringers there are quite a few surprise omissions: Chris Medina, John Wayne Schulz, Jerome Bell, Carson Higgins, and Jacee Badeaux, to name but five. I'm sure they're feeling pretty rejected, and dejected, right now, as they watch their peers move on to the live "Idol" stage while they pack their bags and Greyhound-bus it back to the small towns from whence they came. But they shouldn't sulk. They should realize that quite a few talented singers were turned away by "Idol," but went on to bigger and better things.

Chris, John, Jerome, Jacee, et al: If you're feeling low, read about the following "Idol" also-rans and realize that your respective musical journeys are far from over.

Hillary Scott:
The stunning Lady Antebellum frontwoman auditioned not once but twice for "Idol," and never even made it past the preliminary rounds, never even sang for Simon Cowell and the other judges. "I never got to see them. I literally performed for the production assistants and the interns, and I just didn't make it," she recently told Entertainment Tonight. No worries. Hillary simply formed Lady Antebellum instead, and went on to win five Grammys this year, including Record AND Song Of The Year. No Idol has ever done that!

Colbie Caillat:
This plucky songstress also auditioned unsuccessfully for "Idol" twice, and on her second try she even warbled her own original ditty, "Bubbly." ("I was shy. I was nervous. I didn't look the greatest. I wasn't ready for it yet. I was glad, when I auditioned, that they said no," she later told USA Today.) I guess Colbie had reason to be glad. Not only did "Bubbly" eventually become a massive international hit for her, without "Idol's" help, but it's since been covered by various other "Idol" hopefuls, like Casey James, Katie Stevens, Katelyn Epperly, and Anne Marie Boskovich. Apparently Colbie wasn't too bitter to grant the show rights!

Amber Riley:
The "Glee" diva auditioned for "Idol" at age 17, but she too didn't even make it past the producers. But obviously, the singer also known as Mercedes Jones made it onto the Fox Network anyway. (And one of her biggest standout solo performances on "Glee" was "And I Am Telling You," a song famously performed by Idols like Jennifer Hudson and LaKisha Jones.) "You know what? I still work on Fox and I get paid! Thank you, 'American Idol,'" Amber recently gloated to Access Hollywood. You go, girl.

Robyn Troup:
Robyn is the least-known name on this list, but she actually made it the farthest, getting all the way to Hollywood Week in 2006. She was cut during the second group round, but she performed on the Grammys only a few weeks after her elimination aired, when she won Yahoo! Music's own "My Grammy Moment" talent search and got to duet on the live awards telecast with none other than Justin Timberlake. (And Jennifer Hudson introduced her!) Since then, Robyn has recorded with Santana, and is now prepping her debut album for the Emblem Music Group, a record label helmed by David Cook/Taylor Hicks producer Matt Serletic.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Every Record Label in the game turned us down .......

By: B. Brown (BREG)

I don't know if a lot of artists know this or not, but to become a signed artist, specifically with a major label, the artist has usually down a lot of non-glamorous work and has usually paid some very humbling dues to get to the point of signing a major label contract. Once the ink dries however, the fun really begins. More free shows (promotional shows) and a ton of appearances attempting to get your name & face out there! Oh, did that artist get an advance? Some do and some don't. You might be surprised. I'm sure you have heard the stories. Nonetheless, in most cases, being an artist is not what it is all cracked up to be. Becoming a Superstar and actually becoming Rich helps out tremendously if that artist is one of the Blessed few!

In Jay-Z's book, DECODED, he talks about how every record label in the game turned him down and that's what sparked him, Dame and Biggs to start Roc-A-Fella Records. Here's what Jay-Z says about being a recording artist:

"Being a recording artist on a major label is the most contractually exploitative relationship you can have in America, and it's legal."

*B. Brown: How about that! Artists, times have changed because you can easily produce & release your own records now, but you still have to market and promote yourself and there lies the problem for the overwhelming majority of artists today even with such a powerful marketing and promotional tool as the internet. A plan, work ethic and some type of budget must be in place to play ball!

Click on this link for more information on a business plan, budgets, etc.


One Love!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Tank - Staying true to R&B

*Thoughts by B. Brown (BREG)

My man Tank has always been a beast when it comes to writing and delivering hit songs like one of my favorites "I Deserve!" I take my hat off to this brother because he always seems to bring real-life-situation-music to the marketplace and that's why he has hit songs! Tank is overlooked a lot of times I believe, but I put him right up there with Babyface and R. Kelly in the song writing department.

Tank my brother, keep doing your thing and bringing great music to the ears and souls of many ......


By Melody K. Hoffman (Jet Magazine Dec. 27, 2010/Jan. 3, 2011; pg. 48)

Jet Magazine Website

In regards to his music, Tank says, "I like to call it classic, current R&B. I keep with the basic formula as far as who I'm sing to, what I'm singing about, and even the passion I'm singing it with. I keep that part of it in tact."

"R&B is about love---the good and bad. The stuff when we're together, the stuff when I'm trying to get you, the stuff when we're breaking up, the stuff when we're having fun, the stuff when we're fighting, all of it. I'm not mad at people singing about what they have on and being on their way to the club, that's fine. It just doesn't appeal to me on a substance level. For me, it's about legacy and making my mark in R&B and I want to be as true to the craft as possible."

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Let me handle my business!

*B. Brown's thoughts:

I am currently reading Jay-Z's book DECODED, and he makes point after point in his book about life in general and the music industry. The excerpt below talks about a powerful issue that has been a part of the industry for a long, long time, probably from the start of the music industry. What am I talking about? It is people saying that artist's should not learn about the business side of the industry, and they should just stay tuned-in with the artistry side of the business and that the artist will be fine. How could that be true? So an artist is supposed to be taken advantage of financially?

Jay-Z (Decoded; pgs. 30-31): The other part of "commercialization" is the idea that artists should only be thinking about their art, not about the business side of what we do. There was maybe a time when people in hip-hop made music only because they loved to make music. But the time came when it started to pay off, to the point that even dudes in the street started thinking, "Fuck selling drugs, this rap shit is going to be my hustle!" A lot of people came to hip-hop like that, not out of a pure love of music, but as a legit hustle, another path out of the hood. I've reflected some of that in my music because, to be honest, it was my mentality to some degree---when I committed to a career in rap, I wasn't taking a vow of poverty. I saw it as another hustle, one that happened to coincide with my natural talents and the culture I loved. I was an eager hustler and a reluctant artist. But the irony of it is that to make the hustle work, really work, over the long term, you have to be a true artist, too.

In the streets there aren't written contracts. Instead, you live by certain codes. There are no codes and ethics in music because there are lawyers. People can hide behind their lawyers and contracts and then rob you blind. A lot of street cats come into the music game and expect a certain kind of honor and ethics, even outside of contracts. But in business, like they say, you don't get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate. So I mind my business and I don't apologize for it.

There's this sick fascination with the dead artist, the broke artist, the drugged-out artist, the artist who blows all his money on drugs and big chains and ends up on a VH1 special. Or artists so conflicted about making money from their art---which so often means making money from their pain and confusion and dreams---that they do stupid shit with it, set it on fire or something. This is a game people sometimes play with musicians: that to be real, to be authentic, you have to hate having money or that success has to feel like such a burden you want to kill yourself. But whoever said that artists shouldn't pay attention to their business was probably someone with their hand in some artist's pocket.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

HAPPY NEW YEAR from B. Brown (BREG)

By: B. Brown (BREG)

Happy New Year!!! It is always great to start a new year and give thanks to the Most High for Blessing us with another year of life!

I am very excited about the opportunities out there that will positively impact my business endeavors in 2011, and I am looking forward to helping as many people as I can gain affordable access to the legal system and help as many people as possible protect and grow their businesses, be it an artist, a plumber, etc.!

One of the things that makes me feel very good thus far in 2011 is the Ted Williams story. Here is a man that would be considered down and out, but he continued to share his talent and gift with everyone he came in contact with and now he is receiving a second chance at life. May God continue to Bless him and keep him as he moves forward in his soberiety, re-connecting with his family and career. God is good!

Remember, "Big journeys begin with a single step!"

Have a great 2011!

One Love!