Popular on EntSun
- Female Motorsports Sponsorship & Expansion; Acquisition Agreement of UAE-Based Sports Incubator by Online Lottery & Sports Game Provider: Lottery.com - 223
- WOA Entertainment Group Unveils Independent No.1's: Breakthrough Artists II —A Celebration of Indie Excellence - 205
- Experience Trembling Firsthand with the New AgeMan® Tremor Simulator - 205
- Edtech Startup Young Commanders Launches 'Visionaries Without Sight' Collection Celebrating Blind and Visually Impaired Historical Figures - 197
- Introducing Nene Wear: The Bold, Sporty Fashion Brand by Jeanne Myrick, Powered by KLM Enterprises - 182
- Let's Talk Series: At the Crossroads: Immigration Today - 145
- TEDxInglewood Returns to The Miracle Theater on August 9, 2025 — Celebrating Bold Ideas and Community Energy - 126
- IRF Builders Forum Brings Global Leaders to Washington, D.C. to Advance Religious Freedom Through Cooperative Engagement - 119
- Manhattan Boutique Real Estate Collaborates with InterContinental Hotels NYC in a Branding Partners Personalized Approach - 118
- Token-Operated Sake Service Opens at Tobu Nikko Station - 116
Similar on EntSun
- Plan to Launch Silo Technologies' Cybersecurity Pilot Program for Ultimate Nationwide Deployment via Exclusive Partnership: Stock Symbol: BULT
- Climaxe Throwing Celebrates 3-Year Anniversary with Grand Re-Opening Under New Ownership
- Brightwater Lagoon to host Fourth of July weekend festivities
- AI-Based Neurotoxin Countermeasure Initiative Launched to Address Emerging National Security Needs: Renovaro, Inc. (N A S D A Q: RENB)
- The Naturist World Just Shifted — NaturismRE Ignites a Global Resurgence
- $796,000 in Q2 Revenue Marks Highest Earnings to Date on 3 Trailing Quarters of Profitability in Multi-Billion Homebuilding Sector: Stock Symbol: IVDN
- Cybersecurity is THE Hot Market Sector; Revenues, Earnings & Profit matter; Only 33 Million Shares + a Huge Short Position Equal an Undervalued Stock
- Spartan & Guardians Partner with Guitar Legend Buckethead to Support Global Child Rescue Efforts
- Is the Entertainment Industry in Legal Tragedy: Was Nas's song The World is Yours taken literally
- Winners Announced for Asia Pacific Business Awards 2024-2025
Why We Need More Black Executives in Hip Hop? by Eric B
EntSun News/10833161
You've got great technology to get the tracks out right away, but you've got to have artists that you want to be around for a while.
NEW YORK - EntSun -- I was there in the beginning — when this whole business was run by music people. And then, I was there when Wall Street guys realized how cash-heavy these record companies were; they could take their dollar and would gross multiples of probably 16, 17 dollars — sometimes 20 dollars — when they were doing stocks and trading. So they bought these record companies, and used them for their gross multiples because they had cash on hand. The Wall Street guys came in; now all of a sudden, they're music guys. They want to tell us what we should do and how we should do it. Then I watched the era of the tech guys coming in and, "The algorithm says this, the algorithm says that." I've seen all of it over the past 36 years in this business.
But there's one thing that I've always felt was a big problem: I never liked the industry's changing of Black music to the term "urban."
Understand — when you take away the title "Black music" — you take away all the jobs. Guys like myself should be executives running Def Jam. I could run Def Jam in my sleep. I can read P&L statements in my sleep. I can tell you who wrote a contract by verbiage. But Black people who understand this business were pushed out by the name "urban." There were so many Black promotion people, marketing, video, vice presidents of companies. When you look now, there are so few Black faces. They took the name away and called it "urban." Now you can just put a white guy in there running it, but it's still the Black music division. I'm not hating against the white execs. But the Black execs are few and far between. Mark Pitts, Sylvia Rhone — these are some of the few who have stood the test of time. You've got all these other guys running urban.
More on EntSun News
I think the Web has helped the business overall because you're able to reach more people. When we started, you had to do mailings, you had to go out to the companies, you had to physically send records out and show up at the stations. I'm a technology guy. I think it's great that all of these people can come up and flourish. But, while we're getting money to do what we do, we're still looked at as buffoons and clowns. But I think it's great that we're able to be visible. I don't think it hurts the business, I think it helps the business.
The downside is this: the industry has lost its soul. There is no artist development. They're taking people that have over a million followers or a million hits or views, and they're giving them a deal, but it really doesn't translate into nothin.' There's a white exec that runs one of the biggest streaming platforms in the world and he told me, "It bothers me when I go into the office every day and the only thing these guys are worried about is algorithms and followers." The "artist development" is, "Let's go online and see how many followers they have." Not, "It's a hit record and we can grind this record and make it into something." If this is going to be your approach, what's the sense of you having an A&R department? It makes no sense.
They want instant gratification: "We're going to do cookie-cutter stuff. We're going to make fast food. And the artists? We're going to cut them up and throw them away and get someone else that sounds like them."
More on EntSun News
I don't want to see my brothers just fall off. I want to build some execs and artists that will be around for a while until they say, "enough is enough" and they want to do something else with their life. I want them to be able to provide for their people. Being in this business —even if you're doing movies and television — you have to know things. SAG-AFTRA has some of the best insurance you can get for your family. If you do TV or movies, get a SAG-AFTRA card and get on the insurance plan. You get dental, medical, and vision. A lot of people don't know that. It's just about educating my brothers and sisters. That's how I know I could run Def Jam in my sleep.
I was the first person to demand a million dollars to do an album. So I'm the biggest proponent of getting paid for what you do.
But you've got to know this business. You've got to get out in the streets; Harlem. Detroit. Chicago. Mississippi. North Carolina. Connecticut. You can feel the vibe in the streets. How can you put someone over Black music that doesn't understand the music? It hasn't been working. And the first thing they scream is "Black music is not selling anymore."
Well... look at who you've got steering the ship.
* Image: Eric B in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Anthony Pidgeon / Redferns for Getty)
But there's one thing that I've always felt was a big problem: I never liked the industry's changing of Black music to the term "urban."
Understand — when you take away the title "Black music" — you take away all the jobs. Guys like myself should be executives running Def Jam. I could run Def Jam in my sleep. I can read P&L statements in my sleep. I can tell you who wrote a contract by verbiage. But Black people who understand this business were pushed out by the name "urban." There were so many Black promotion people, marketing, video, vice presidents of companies. When you look now, there are so few Black faces. They took the name away and called it "urban." Now you can just put a white guy in there running it, but it's still the Black music division. I'm not hating against the white execs. But the Black execs are few and far between. Mark Pitts, Sylvia Rhone — these are some of the few who have stood the test of time. You've got all these other guys running urban.
More on EntSun News
- The Naturist World Just Shifted — NaturismRE Ignites a Global Resurgence
- $796,000 in Q2 Revenue Marks Highest Earnings to Date on 3 Trailing Quarters of Profitability in Multi-Billion Homebuilding Sector: Stock Symbol: IVDN
- Cybersecurity is THE Hot Market Sector; Revenues, Earnings & Profit matter; Only 33 Million Shares + a Huge Short Position Equal an Undervalued Stock
- Despite Global Calls for a Ban, US Child Psychiatry Pushes Electroshock for Kids
- Franco Polished Plaster Celebrates 35 Years of Bringing Walls to Life in the UK
I think the Web has helped the business overall because you're able to reach more people. When we started, you had to do mailings, you had to go out to the companies, you had to physically send records out and show up at the stations. I'm a technology guy. I think it's great that all of these people can come up and flourish. But, while we're getting money to do what we do, we're still looked at as buffoons and clowns. But I think it's great that we're able to be visible. I don't think it hurts the business, I think it helps the business.
The downside is this: the industry has lost its soul. There is no artist development. They're taking people that have over a million followers or a million hits or views, and they're giving them a deal, but it really doesn't translate into nothin.' There's a white exec that runs one of the biggest streaming platforms in the world and he told me, "It bothers me when I go into the office every day and the only thing these guys are worried about is algorithms and followers." The "artist development" is, "Let's go online and see how many followers they have." Not, "It's a hit record and we can grind this record and make it into something." If this is going to be your approach, what's the sense of you having an A&R department? It makes no sense.
They want instant gratification: "We're going to do cookie-cutter stuff. We're going to make fast food. And the artists? We're going to cut them up and throw them away and get someone else that sounds like them."
More on EntSun News
- India's Home Textile Manufacturers See Rising Demand From Us Buyers, Enabled By rivexa
- Spartan & Guardians Partner with Guitar Legend Buckethead to Support Global Child Rescue Efforts
- Is the Entertainment Industry in Legal Tragedy: Was Nas's song The World is Yours taken literally
- Preliminary.online Introduces Short-Term Job-Readiness Courses with Employer-Verified Certifications
- Psychologist-Turned-Hermeticist Releases Modern Guide to the Seven Hermetic Principles
I don't want to see my brothers just fall off. I want to build some execs and artists that will be around for a while until they say, "enough is enough" and they want to do something else with their life. I want them to be able to provide for their people. Being in this business —even if you're doing movies and television — you have to know things. SAG-AFTRA has some of the best insurance you can get for your family. If you do TV or movies, get a SAG-AFTRA card and get on the insurance plan. You get dental, medical, and vision. A lot of people don't know that. It's just about educating my brothers and sisters. That's how I know I could run Def Jam in my sleep.
I was the first person to demand a million dollars to do an album. So I'm the biggest proponent of getting paid for what you do.
But you've got to know this business. You've got to get out in the streets; Harlem. Detroit. Chicago. Mississippi. North Carolina. Connecticut. You can feel the vibe in the streets. How can you put someone over Black music that doesn't understand the music? It hasn't been working. And the first thing they scream is "Black music is not selling anymore."
Well... look at who you've got steering the ship.
* Image: Eric B in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Anthony Pidgeon / Redferns for Getty)
Source: Rock the Bells
0 Comments
Latest on EntSun News
- Endoacustica Europe Unveils iPhone 13 Pro Max Spy Phone—Pure Hardware, Zero Software Changes
- Suzanne Harp named Managing Director in Texas, USA
- $10 Million Acquisition of GXR World Sports Assets Energizes Global Launch of Sports.com Super App by Online Lottery-Sports Game Provider: Lottery.com
- Shop American Made Goods: New Online Marketplace My American Goods Curates the Best of U.S. Made
- Investor Spotlight: Cycurion, Inc. (N A S D A Q: CYCU) Secures $69M in Contracts Amid Surging Demand for AI-Powered Cybersecurity Solutions
- $328 Million Global Stroke Rehab Market Opportunity Awaits AI Telehealth Leader Following Selection for NIH Funded Phase 3 Clinical Study: VSee Health
- Ascent Solar Technologies Enters Collaborative Agreement Notice with NASA to Advance Development of Thin-Film PV Power Beaming Capabilities: ASTI
- VoodooSoft Unveils SiriusLLM: The World's First ChatGPT-Like AI Malware Detection Engine
- This Ain't Press. This Is Pressure — Star Command by RansomXX is Out Now
- An Exclusive VIP Reception Honoring Vocal Prodigy Alliana Lili Yang's Remarkable Achievements and Magazine Cover Spotlight
- New Trend in Event Rentals: Luvies Bounce House Offers Instagram-Worthy Experiences
- Joyce Carol Oates Returns to Hard Case Crime With DOUBLE TROUBLE
- 2nd Annual (Neighbor) Hood Fest Announces Lineup and Sponsors
- New AI Academy Helps Therapists Embrace Tech Without Losing Their Humanity
- Vocs AI Launches Groundbreaking AI Music Label, Roster to Feature Over 40 Licensed AI Artists
- ELKLOOK Unveils Next-Gen Lens Tinting Innovation
- IQSTEL Surges Toward $400M Run Rate with $101.5M in Revenue—Reinforces Billion-Dollar Vision Backed by Fintech, AI, and Cybersecurity
- Alpha Modus Files 7th IP Action Against Rackspace Following $3M CEO Investment and Strategic Partnership Expansion
- Mortgage Rates And Demand Are Stuck In A Holding Pattern
- Coker Completes Acquisition of Healthcare Cost Solutions, a Leading Expert in Technology-Enabled Compliance Services