This is actually quite interesting.

hiphopdx.com/news/andre-3000-new-blue-sun-not-count-label-contract

André 3000 has revealed that his long-awaited debut solo album New Blue Sun doesn’t actually count towards his contract with Epic Records.

The OutKast legend shared the startling revelation in an interview with journalist Touré, admitting that he initially “didn’t understand” why that was the case and even attempted to circumvent the clause.

“They congratulated me on the process, they congratulated me on what the work was, but contractually, it’s very interesting. My label will not count this album against my contract — this is as a solo artist,” he said of his polarizing flute project.

After his lawyer explained to him the stipulation that prevents New Blue Sun from being acknowledged by Epic, however, 3 Stacks said he has come to realize why it belongs in his contract (and that of any recording artist, apparently).

tl;dr: Basically, his legal team explained to him it's a clause in a LOT of contracts that make it so the album you make has to 90% sound like the album you previously dropped. In their words, "the labels wanted to prevent an artist dropping anything (or an album of handclaps) as a way to get out of their deal"

He's not taking it too hard because he's not in a hurry to leave Epic but I found this kinda wild. It's still a musical album, that even got nominated and a label can just say "...nah this don't count."

they really locking niggas up

Labels are exploitative middlemen

The only reason they hold the “resources” artists need to succeed is to have leverage in these predatory relationships

”Basically, his legal team explained to him it's a clause in a LOT of contracts that make it so the album you make has to 90% sound like the album you previously dropped.”

Nice try

Time to pick up the pen mysterious man

“I didn’t understand it at first and we tried to find ways around it, but I understand it in a way, too,” he continued. “My attorney explained it in this way: it was invented in the ’70s maybe, when artists were trying to get out of their deals so they were just pretty much turning in anything.

“And so you have to have some type of legal stipulation that stops you from doing that. It’s something where it says, ‘The next recording has to be 90 percent like the recording before it.’ You see what I’m saying?! It’s in everybody’s deal, they don’t know it ’cause most people are not doing this kind of thing.

these crackas got US figured out for decades lmao.

Corporations don’t give af about any of us, even the millionaires

Holy f*** that's wild lol

eddie wuncler type beat

But if he used AI to make a rap album it would count?

so is the flute album independent or are they still cashing in on it?

that's actually a good question lol.

they definitely 110% still cashing in on it.

so....if he drops another one in the same style as New Blue Sun, then it would count toward the contract?

Rvi asking the real questions as always..

You moving like 2016 Frank

Too true

highkey the rollout that this is an era that's here to stay

Seems reasonable to me. If you gonna pay an artist millions of dollars, they gotta produce what you paying for. Otherwise, go independent 🤷‍♂️

if he drops a rap album it won't count now it won't sound like the flute album lol.

@Extraterrestrial this is bullshit if the label is still cashing in on your product, it should automatically go towards your label releases.

Label can't even give leeway despite Andre actually putting effort into the album

Flute Outkast album otw

I see why this is a clause to avoid niggas turning an album of white noise lol but they gotta revise it for musical departures

So realistically how does Post Malone and Beyonce albums work?

Does this apply the same way with the genre switch?

But they’re not cashing in though to what the expectation would be. I’m sure these deals are given based on metrics, projected sales, etc. that are based off what’s expected for a specific genre and the artists popularity in that genre. If the artist drops an album full of fart sounds instead, how would that qualify