mathematics
10 WAYS TO AVOID GETTING SUCKED INTO A BAD RECORD DEAL by Rap Coalition’s Wendy Day
www.WendyDay.com
Since 1992, I have been pulling artists out of bad deals. In almost every case, the bad situation could have been avoided. Breaking a bad contract is as emotionally draining and frustrating as going through a bad divorce - in many ways worse. For some artists, being able to find a new deal is almost impossible, as there are quite a few companies that do not want to sign anyone who has had any pervious history in this business (their thinking is that it’s harder to un-do negative perception than to start from scratch with a new artist who isn’t jaded). Here is how I think most artists can avoid getting into a fucked up situation to begin with:
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Learn The Business If you spend the time learning how the music business works, you will learn what is fair and acceptable. That way, you will learn what to expect and what to avoid at all cost.
Learn Who’s Who Instead of just wanting to rhyme or make beats, spend some time learning who the real players are. Do the research on who is really behind successful artists. Find out how record labels work and who works there. Ask around about managers and who the real movers and shakers are. The same names come up over and over, and after awhile you will learn who is good at what they do and who is full of shit. Separate Hype from Reality As you learn how the industry works and who’s really making moves behind the scenes, it’s important to separate the real from the hype. Just because it’s reported that Whitney Houston has a $100 million dollar deal, doesn’t make it true. When you fall for that crap it makes you look stupid to repeat it. Learn what’s real and true in the business so you can spot the obvious fakes and the bullshit. After awhile, it’s very easy to do. Network With Success When you find someone who is legit and making things happen for real (instead of just saying they are making things happen), keep in touch with them. Try to meet the people they know and interact with on a regular basis. For the most part, legit attracts legit. There are people who bumble around this industry without having any real success, and you will not be their first success (even though they are hoping you will be). If someone does not have a verifiable, legitimate track record of success, avoid them.
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Get A Lawyer In your learning process, find out who the legitimate, powerful entertainment attorneys are. For the most part, they are where the industry is based: New York, Los Angeles, and a few in Atlanta (but not many). Just because someone is the lawyer for a superstar, does NOT mean they are great at what they do. It just means they were able to land a superstar client who is loyal. Build Leverage The best deals go to the artists with the most leverage. If you are looking to do great deals, put yourself in a position to build leverage. Depending on the situation, that could mean increased sales, a lot of radio play, a track record of success, or a team of top notch industry folks with a proven track record of success. The best deals go to the artists who have recently sold a lot of CDs regionally in a six to nine month period. Build An Outstanding Team Even the worst team in the NBA could beat Shaq by himself on the court. If you build a team of successful professionals (manager, lawyer, booking agent, accountant, and publicist) they can help propel you forward to have a successful career. They must be good at what they do, committed to your success, and play their role. Do For Self The best way to be certain you are heading in the right direction is to learn how-to, and then do it yourself (if you are able). As I look at the top ten artists on the charts year after year, they are almost always artists who started out selling their own CDs on the streets in their region. They learned how the business works and interacted with their fan base on a daily basis. When their label drops the ball, they know how to grind and make it happen regardless.
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Interact With Other Artists Learning from those who came before you is an excellent way to learn what to do and what not to do. When you ask people how they did something, they are more than happy to explain how. When you meet other artists who are more successful, or record label executives who’ve had success on a project, ask them how they did it and get their contact info so you can keep in touch with them. My deals have been great because I have learned what to do and what not to do from those who came before - from artists, from managers, from lawyers, and label staff.
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Always Do What’s Right If you make it a common practice in your life to always do your best and to do what’s right, it will come back to you. Treat others with the respect and fairness you expect to be treated with, and most often you will. If you set the precedent that you won’t tolerate any bullshit, you rarely will have to. This industry has a ridiculous amount of scum bags, and it’s important to avoid them like the plague - once you know who they are. If someone has jerked a lot of folks before you, they will most likely jerk you too. Don’t be blinded by money or opportunity, and most of all, don’t make any decision based on greed. A deal is not a good deal unless everybody wins. 22