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.

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!