Music Labels Should Step In Earlier for Emerging Rap Artists.

Music labels and rap artists share a rather hostile relationship based on the history of labels crafting bad deals for rap artists to sign. Hence, as a label owner, I cannot blame a rapper for shifting his or her mentality into supporting themselves, especially given all the distribution tools at their disposal today. It used to be the case that labels handled the printing and distribution of music to the brick and mortar stores, but long gone are the days of pushing physical units at Best Buy as a main source of revenue. Now DistroKid, CDBaby and a host of other reputable distribution sites offer their services directly to artists, turning the label into a meaningless messenger in the process. 

But being independent as an artist also has its multitude of challenges. For those rappers who are serious about building their careers in music, many will tell stories of scammers who take advantage of artists wanting to promote themselves on social media and in Spotify playlists. In some cases, artists solely rely on distribution services, like Distrokid, to collect their royalties. If so, then they are missing out on royalties through ASCAP or BMI and SongTrust, to guarantee they are seeing all the money earned from radio stations, performances, and music played abroad. 

Simultaneously, not many labels want to work with an artist with merely 15 monthly listeners. They’ll push the artist to continue making music and generating a fan base through social media, encouraging Google's guidance on how to raise awareness. This leads to many artists wasting thousands of dollars in hopes of watching their audience grow and music start to take traction. And by the time the momentum builds and their music pops off, ironically, the artist will ask themselves, “what do I need the label for?”. 

That is why we believe music labels should be invested in a rap artist's career much earlier. In fact, if you are a rap artist with 15 monthly listeners, then now is the perfect time for you to reach out to All In-House Entertainment. By the time you work with us, we can organize your lease and exclusive agreements to make sure your music is in compliance, set up your Electronic Press Kit with a unique link for users to find your information, book your services and stream your music, in addition to providing you with real guidance along the way. We might be small, but we are mighty, and our team comes packed with experience. 

Our label is dedicated to emerging artists because we believe in sharing knowledge and resources. This month we are launching the ‘Emerging Artist Program’ to offer transparent and consistent support to rappers who are just starting in their careers. We want to work with artists who believe in their talents, are open to guidance, and can demonstrate consistent discipline in their efforts to establish a rap career. We are currently open for submission, however a limited number applicants will be admitted to guarantee quality of service. Every artist started somewhere and had some help along the way. My name is Kazi and my team would like to help you. 

If you have questions, please give me a call at (202) 510-1279 or send us an email at contactus@allinhouseent.com and let us know how we can support you. 

For more information about the ‘Emerging Artist Program’ visit www.allinhouseent.com/emerging-artist-program.

 

Thank you for reading!

 

To support our artists please sign up to become a MEMBER of All In-House Entertainment. Membership includes a monthly subscription contribution of $1; however, it also means we can pay our artists for all streams they generate on our website. Thank you!

 

About the author: Wanjiku 'Kazi' Mbugua is the Vice President of Business Affairs and a 3L law student at the University of the District of Columbia, David A. Clarke School of Law, class of 2022. Her goal is to become an entertainment attorney after passing the California Bar. 

Leave a comment