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The Random Adventures Of Add-2

Major Labels vs The Internet

Over the weekend I got a chance to enjoy a few things like family, friends and good food (even though I'm not a turkey person, its too dry for me). I also met with my attorney and my mentor DJ Twilite Tone over the weekend as well to discuss further steps that we need to take in order to close out this year and start the new one off right. After I got back one of my friends asked me 'If you could go to any label, where would you go?' and as I thought about it and really tried to think of one, none of the major labels really came to mind. And then just as a whole I began to think about how major labels have been declined over the last few years.

Honestly, I dont think any of the major labels are really having or have had that great of a year in 2008. There hasnt been any clear domination across the board as far as the bigger hip hop labels go. From Bad Boy who's success came mostly from the TV Shows than the artists music, all the way to Def Jam which seemed like if you weren't an r&b act you weren't too happy with how your album was promoted and every other label in between. The industry is crumbling and its all thanks to one thing...the internet.

At first labels thought they could just ignore it but the net kept chipping away at the foundation the industry was built/relied on. Where once the people had to come to its supplier (i.e wait for the song to get played on radio, or for the video to be played on BET or even worse 30secs on TRL) now the people had direct control over when and how many times they could hear/see what they wanted (youtube,myspace, torrents). The industry fought back with wack ass extra content for cds as a bonus for people who bought the cd when in reality the extra content was some interviews or some pictures that didnt hold your attention not too much after that one time you watched it. After the major decline in sales, downsizing in departments (sorry, no more artist development), as well as myspace being the biggest A&R for the music industry its safe to say the industry as we once knew it is damn near gone.

If you are one of those up and coming artist who are expecting to land a million dollar contract, keep dreaming cause labels arent willing to risk more money just based off that you 'could be the next...(insert legend here)'. Not mention deals with labels wanting to take perentage of artists touring money and merchandising and anything else just to compensate for the lack of money they're receiving from record sales.

The good thing is, is that slowly more good music is coming out and not from the labels. The internet has given a chance to alot of good artist and almost puts them at a good level (maybe not even playing field) as some mainstream. I still think Blu's and Exile album last year and Wale's mixtape was better than any major label release all this year (aside from Ludacris album which might be the best hip hop album this year). Independent artist have been putting out better music more often and more consistent than their mainstream counterparts. And thanks to sites like 2dopeboyz, Onsmash and Nahright we get good music daily. At this rate if this continues the industry is going to cater to us or even better we will be the industry. Even though it may not be obvious right now but we are forcing the labels to make better music and not just singles and a half ass album if they want sales, which is how it always should be.

Add-2
Leader Of The Anti-Bullshit Coalition
www.myspace.com/add2

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