So Def's Music Industry Analysis

Around his neighborhood, Biggie Smalls, as he called himself then, began building a reputation as a musician. After a tape of his landed in the hands of Mister Cee, a DJ, Smalls was featured in the hip-hop company, The Source. That article soon caught the attention of Sean "Puffy" Combs, “a young producer at Uptown Entertainment, a New York-based label expert in hip-hop and rhythm and blues (Google/bio/biggie smalls/.com).” Uptown to start his own label, Bad Boy Entertainment, he brought Smalls with him.

Do you know who the Migos are? While there are better rappers from Atlanta, they keep Atlanta on the map do to their rapping because they influence on a lot of people, they made up their own flow, and because their style is unique. Atlanta produced a lot off hot rappers including Gucci Mane, Lil Yatchy, Rich Homie Quan, and Young Thug. A lot of these rappers influences many of people to do good and bad things and these influences come from the lyrics and also the artist. But most influential group of artist coming out of Atlanta Georgia is the Migos. “No rapper in the current moment has a more emulated flow” (David). Each one of the rappers in Migos has an impact on how people view and listen to music. “But part of the reason Migos has become

One of the all time greatest lyricists of all time, Nas, even tried to sign him to his label.

Christopher Brian “Chris” Bridges or better known as Ludacris is one of the first and most influential “Dirty South” rappers coming from Atlanta, Georgia. Known for his fast, wild, and comedic flow, Ludacris earned his name and continues to make music to match his name. Coming from Def Jam Records and co-founder of the record label Disturbing Tha Peace, one of Ludacris’ most famous song is his “Southern Hospitality” that made it to the Billboard Hot 100 after coming out in the year 2000. This song is full of catchy alliterations and uses imagery to take the listener on a wild wide to the south, explaining the struggle of the streets and giving credit to slave culture. However, Ludacris doesn't forget to mention his successful ways and how he

For new bands, one of their first major steps into getting into the business is usually finding a record label. A record label is commonly known by most people as someone who simply signs a band and sells their music. What most people do not know is that they do much more than that. A label does do all the things that people believe they do, however, they also do much more to help an artist. A label is one band’s contact to other artists or promotors that will help further their popularity and reach out to more businesses who could potentially seek endorsement deals to support an artist while also advertising their own product (Lindvall). However, some bands have had negative experiences with labels. There are many negative outlooks on record labels recently and their work with certain artists.

One of the most popular Hip-Hop groups is Run D.M.C, however; “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five. The 80s formed the roots of Hip-Hop occasionally having bad

Artists such as New Edition, KRS-One, Mariah Carey, Lil Kim and others wanted their re-mixes done by the young entrepreneur. This being said to emphasize the power that the label had to sign other hot unknown artists. Faith Evans (now widow of B.I.G.), Total, 112, MA$E, and new artist Dream are all on the Bad Boy label. Every one of the artists has achieved gold, platinum, or multi-platinum sales. As a matter of fact "to date, all of the releases under the Bad Boy label have achieved these staggering sales figures…(AP Wire, December 5). Sales were solid for Bad Boy in 1995 and 1996, however 1997 was the year that the tiger was let loose on the hip-hop scene, and it has never been the same since. The year started off in March with what seemed to be a disaster. Chris Wallace a.k.a. "The Notorious B.I.G." was gunned down in front of Combs outside of an industry party in L.A. What looked like a catastrophe for the label was actually a godsend. The shooting in March of 24 year-old Christopher Wallace boosted the ascent of businessman/producer Sean "Puffy" Combs, Bad Boy Records. In fact during the summer of 1997, most of the songs on the upper reaches of the music charts were either by, featuring, or about "The Notorious B.I.G." (Cox News, Nov. 28). Combs and Wallace, joined by 19 year old protégé rapper MA$E, were at the top of the charts almost the entire year. Nothing prepared the label for the biggest selling single to come. Combs and R&B super

Music can rock your world, enlighten your mind and change your perspective. When you think of rap music who comes first to mind? Without hesitation, it must be the self acclaimed best rapper alive, Lil Wayne. He alone can make such statements as “My picture should be in the dictionary next to the definition of definition” (Wayne, “Shoot Me Down”). Lil Wayne is a prominent force in the rap world. His debut Album in 1999, Tha Block is Hot went double platinum upon its release and even his lowest selling album is still certified as gold according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Rollingstone Magazine declares “Lil Wayne is one of the most popular — and prolific — recording artists in the world” (Kreps). Top this with

Davis is a platinum selling rapper he began writing his remarkable music. His music altered the course of hip hop. Every success was followed by a setback. Incarceration, violence, rap beefs, and drug addiction all took place in Gucci’s life. But Gucci Mane has learned from his mistakes and is changing for his future. Throughout his life, he loved to rap with his friends and cousins but never actually tried to career in music since he was into all the bad stuff in Atlanta. One day, he decided to go check out the rap “game.” He feel in love with rap and made many mixtapes. Many people began to recognize him and started to listen to his music. His friends would help him out by selling drugs and giving the customers a free CD. Some of the Atlantic people would not want the CD but eventually ended up hearing it. Gucci has been nominated in the BET awards 3 times. In 2017, he collaborated with Fifth Harmony and won a VMA award for best pop video for the song “Down.” Gucci Mane has also collaborated with many other artists such as Migos. Migos is a trio; Quavo, Offset, and Takeoff. Gucci met them long before they were really famous. He really liked their vocals so Gucci invited them into his squad “The Brick Squad.” Gucci Mane had 11 albums and many mixtapes. His recent album came out on October 2017 “Mr. Davis.” Since then, Gucci has been a successful

Once Simmons and McDaniels rapped infront of Mizells, they all decide tobecome close friends. Having Russell around, he helped them record their first single called “Street Kid”,they’re song came to a failure, but they didn’t mind because they knew it was just the beginningfor them. Simmons had a plan to record with McDaniels but Russell refused because he didn'tlike McDaniels style of rapping. Once they went to college, Simmons and McDaniels convincedRussell to do a Duo and add Mizell. Russell decided to help them out and make a single but hadto change their name to Run DMC, they hated the name but went along with it because theywanted to record. At this time, their fame was so big they started to be on VH1 making documentaries.After awhile, everyone started to go there own ways by recording solo. Even though theyseparated in the 80’s, everyone knew their music would never die, it is a legacy. The way theymade this happen was by taking hip hop and rap away from funk and disco and made it its ownsound. Run DMC was not worried about the West Coast, however in 1988 N.W.A came out with“Straight Outta Compton” and that's when Run DMC had to come out with “Tougher thanLeather”.In 1984, Arabian Prince was a producer that produced a hit single for J.J. Fad. AntoineCarraby, aka DJ Yella, was a record producer and a film director. Andre Romelle Young, aka Dr.Dre, was an Dj at the nightclub “Eve After Dark”. Eric Lynn Wright, aka Eazy E, was also arapper, to Ruthless

Wake Flocka discovered Sizzle when he was 17, he later introduced him to Gucci Mane where he later signed. Through the signing he was introduced to hit maker Lex Luger, as they would later go on to form what's known as "808 Mafia". After playing a major part in the success of Waka's debut album, he would later go on to work with artists like Jay Z, DJ Khaled, Rick Ross, Future, among a number of other major name. His hard hitting sound is the standard for the direction hip hop is going, after growing tired of making hits for other artists, he decided he would rhyme over his beats

     From the beginning Death Row Records was like a family, according to Dr. Dre. With acts like Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, and Warren G, Death Row

‘Independent record labels have been around since music started being recorded’ (King, 2012, p.13). Created by fanatics with a passion for music, the recording and production process was often self-funded and the purpose was to nurture talent and creativity. Most of the major record companies we know today would have once started in this manner (King, 2012).

The popular music industry in the late 1990s was dominated by a small number of integrated corporations with headquarters in Europe, the United States and Japan. This music market starts simply with an artist and moves along through many steps to the consumer. Everything has its start when a musician presents his music to a music manager, and if he/she finds the music promising, a contract is signed between the two, recordings are made and a marketing plan is drafted for the

The music industry is an oligopoly. Since the late 1800’s people like Thomas Edison have been buying up patents in communication technology, forming monopolies, leading to a non-competitive entertainment industry. With only a handful of corporations controlling all aspects of acquisition, distribution and marketing of music, harsh business principles create an exploitative industry that takes the best of what artists have to offer and leaves many of them unable to support themselves. Beginning in the 1950’s with payola and white cover music and ultimately evolving into iTunes and Spotify, the music industry has grown into a billion dollar industry with far-reaching influence and control. Contracts rarely serve the artists’ best interest and many are left out to dry when their usefulness has expired.