The Artist Label Myth

There has been something that has really taken off in the hip hop industry the last 7 or 8 years. It's the artist owned label. These labels are set up to give the artists their own lane, their own avenue and allowing them to answer to only themselves and sign the artist's that they REALLY want to sign and give a chance to blow.

We're here to tell you that all of that is a myth. The majority of these labels are labels in name and on paper only. They contain no infrastructure and no real systematic business structure. There are no real employee's. Just their boys who operate off of their sidekick or blackberry and get a flat salary (if that) every month.

What labels am I talking about? It's easy to figure out for yourself. Here is how you spot a fake label:

- No Distribution
- No real releases in the years they have been active.
- Artists who get signed release mixtapes and not studio albums.
- Artists who get signed put out side projects or street albums on other labels.

While you might not find an artist ran label that applies to all of these, you are more than likely to find an artist ran label that applies to one or two. And if that is the case, consider that the label is nothing more than a front. Front of what though? Not necessarily a front to ship ki's, or to cover up illegal activities.....but a front to appear entrepreneurial.

It's the idea to appear as a not a business man, but a bizzzzzznesssss, man (Thanks Jay). But in all seriousness, almost every single artist that has a decent following or a successful record automatically establish themselves their own label and how many of them are considered a success? You can count them on one hand....maybe two.

Which artist driven labels are real and which are not? Go down the check list and see for yourself. We guarantee you will be surprised.

Thats true

cough young money cough =D