In reference to this post I saw on Instagram
ibb.co/28wrBB0

I get that you don’t make all the money off of the music but still

Lil Wayne and Drake made millions off of pandora and I don’t think they owned their masters

Kanye became a billionaire without owning his masters as well, like he made so much outside of music.

I heard lil baby makes a lot off of his concerts, lil uzi too.

People talk a lot about this a lot today even Taylor Swift owns her masters for what she’s gonna re record so it’s got me thinking, what do you guys think?

I think its 2 things:

1. you can be rich, but if you're a musician you probably spend most of your life writing music, recording music, performing music, its basically your life so if at the end of the day if another nigga reaping the lions share of that its kinda f***ed up even if you're rich

2. at the same time, all these niggas rich and popular as f***, they know that most fans are gonna side with them over some random executive and they use that to their advantage by painting themselves as some helpless victim or underdog against some evil regime. also trying to act like its not just them trying to get richer/more powerful, like they're doing it for everyone to be free or some s*** a lot of artists have done this

Imaging making something from scratch only to have your label snatch it from your hands the second you're finished.

It's not just about making money, it's about getting full artistic control over your product. The money argument is what label's use in the first place to entice artists to sign lol.

You make a product with your heart and soul and energy. You give the masters to the company because they gave you a bit of money.

Fifteen years later, your career has ascended from what it once was. However, you don't own your masters. You don't own your music. You're just performing it. Everything you do is making the label a LARGE profit.

Even if you get a little bit, the label might be making 10x what you're making and won't give you the option (for some) to buy back your masters. They own your music and won't let you buy the rights to own it.

Essentially, you're only getting a portion of the profit when you might've done all of the work.

(or that's how I understand it)

jesus the audacity of these MILLIONAIRE BILLIONAIRES to want their masters! you RICH stop complaining SMFH!

Cause in the end all your hard work and effort don’t belong to you.

You see how they passing around Taylor Swift music for so much money and making so much off her efforts?

the sentiment of owning them comes from musicians who actually care about the art they've created. rappers who do the s*** for the money and not for the art are just mirin

If you were to build a house with a loan and paid the money back in a reasonable time and with extra that many would consider otherwise to be a reasonable amount to incentivize the bank to take such risks only to still owe said bank money and the house, and not to complain about it because you have a roof over your head even though the bank could've made back 5x-10x what they loaned you to begin with.

What?

is there not more money in owning your masters or have i been living a lie

King von owned his masters

Idk why these artists complain about being a “slave”, have they never had any other job?

They still signing million dollar contracts

@op you can have lots of money and still be a slave

Can make money through other ventures

Those are loans.

sure but it's harder to be hugely successful without label help

Just like a paycheck for the everyday person is a “loan” when you have bills and s*** to pay

These artists are still making money, travel the world, get tons of s*** for free, and have fans who give them more money, like boohoo are we supposed to feel bad? It’s a business

Yes

Royalties, publishing, plus I own masters
I'll be damned if I slave for some white crackers

the deals are usually very aggressive

It's a bad business There are payday loans more reasonable than 360 record deals and that saying something considering how s***ty they are and they fact that they are even outlawed in some states. They may get shirts and s*** for free but things that are provided by the label are s*** that they have to pay back and often paid for by said loan. You being jealous of the lifestyle they live doesn't mean they are being fairly compensated for the work they do

king

rip he been too real

what a line

Rip king he been telling these niggas!

blasting in white neighborhoods with the windows down