Also, a lot of artist buzz before a deal, that's how they get leverage regarding deals so they're already relevant enough to sign major. You have to be exceptional to be indie and super successful but not everybody wants that type of FAME

Russ is irrelevant in the grand scheme
He can talk about his hits and charts all he wants he’s not relevant to hip hop or the culture

Black thought, Benny the butcher, ab soul were all on his last record. Noreaga and Joe Budden always gives him props. B Dot put him in his top 5 this year. Sorry but you’re just being ignorant at this point to deny his place in the culture.

Money talks brother

jigga what? jigga who? lol
jay z is not indie

yeah you’re right, he’s probably paying them to comment on all his posts, big him up in interviews and constantly support him on their platforms, lmfao don’t be a clown

17 was after he was able to sign his distribution deal, use label money to bond out of jail and use label money and resources to help fund a tour.

not taking anything from x bc he's one of my favorite artists but things would have played out different if he never signed at all.

the whole game in a nutshell 100%

alot of these revered classics we talk about here everyday would have came and went without the machine behind them

This thread is about major labels, ofcourse signing helps a lot but X was also making a lot from soundcloud he sold hella reposts everyday for months he was making 5 figures from this alone, I don’t think anyone is against having a team/support. Empire is the least slave like label in the world

Nigga literally started his own label. Yes he was indie

he was signed to Priority Records

Priority was an indie label at the time.

Music politics man it’s not complicated

radio doesn't matter anymore. spotify editorial playlists are the new radio. i have seen in the past few years artists signing to majors and their songs getting less streams/views than when they were independent. happens a lot more often then you think. the only positive of signing to a major is money up front but you're exchanging ownership for this. it's a short-term benefit with long-term negative implications. i would say only about 1-5% of major label deals end up being worth it for both parties in hindsight.

that’s true but in this situation I feel like you’re being bitter and not accepting russ for whatever reason when he has objective stats/praise, maybe you don’t like him or something but no need to deny facts

Example 1:

SL

Before signing to universal:

After signing to universal:

This is youtube alone. look at his 2019 spotify ep independent streams vs. his recent album signed to universal.

Priority was indie dog you dont know what youre talking about lol

Stop believing the bs

U gotta befriend or get co-signed by some 1 already poppin

best =/= most popular

who did x get co-signed by? I can’t think of anybody before 1 million views. denzel curry maybe? barely counts

Frank was signed to Def Jam up until 2016.

Denzel Curry was on fire at the time, Ultimate just blew up and then They beefed w purrp anwhen yams died so the whole internet saw him, big. Co-signs or labels is the only way to blow up,
Ktt has the power to put on, akademiks